Grit is the passionate and persistent pursuit of long-term goals.
Dan Campbell, head coach of the Detroit Lions, made grit the team’s operating ethos in 2023. He most importantly demonstrated how real it was by securing their first entry into the playoffs since January 1992.
In her book Getting Grit, Caroline Miller, a leading researcher on the science of grit says that authentic grit is “the passionate pursuit of hard goals that awes and inspires others to become better people, flourish emotionally, take positive risks, and live their best lives.'“
Although they ended up losing to the San Francisco 49ers, they led most of the game and their playoff run reinvigorated the city’s belief in the team, making them one to watch out for in 2024.
I wanted to pack these ideas into Power Acronym 84.
Power Acronym 84: G.R.I.T.
Goals
Relationships
Integrity
Tenacity
If you’re looking to have more grit, start with your goals.
What is your “Super Bowl”?
Who’s on your team?
Are you actually doing the things you say you will do?
Are you pushing through the resistance, fear, and doubt?
It’s easier said than done, but what about “grit” sounds easy??
Check out Dan Campbell’s speech to his team about grit:
“It’s our core foundation, men. Grit. And what does it mean? Really, in a nutshell, I think it means this: we’re going to go a little bit longer, we’ll push a little harder, and we’ll think a little deeper, and a little sharper. To me, it means, we’ll play you anywhere. We’ll play you on grass, we’ll play you on turf, we’ll go to a fuckin’ landfill. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if you have one ass cheek and three toes, I’ll beat your ass.”
-Dan Campbell
Get on the field.
Power Acronym Daily
Daily acronyms to encourage, enrich, and empower.