I believe that we are each born with a single certain unique ability.
Our loving parents call them gifts. It could be athletic ability, mathematical intelligence, solving puzzles, or communicating with other fellow human beings...or dogs. Each one of us has a special something.
The conundrum is that you may never discover it or realize it when it is uncovered.
Wow, that's heavy.
I don't know if I know mine yet. I will never know for sure. You won't either.
I believe, however, that even though our singular "primary" unique ability may never be found (or pursued) we have plenty of secondary talents.
These secondary talents are more plentiful.
The good news is...
We are much more likely to discover them, and if we are to mix them within our lives with one specific ingredient, they prove to be more than enough, and in some cases more powerful than our single best ability or talent.
If we can just leverage these secondary abilities the right way, the need to discover the primary one sort of falls away, and you relieve yourself of the stress of finding it because your secondary skill becomes so well-tuned.
How do we leverage these secondary abilities the right way? What is this perfect ingredient to mix with your secondary talent?
Grit.
I'll never forget this TED talk by Angela Lee Duckworkth which clearly stresses the importance of grit for children and adults alike.
It has made me rethink what is most important in raising my children and pursuing my dream career.
If you have six minutes to spare, it's totally worth it, but if you need to cut to the gist, go to 2:48.
Having the ability to relentlessly pursue despite challenges and setbacks is what sets apart those that succeed and those that fail.
Let me be clear, by "fail" I basically mean to give up--the need to pursue no longer burns in your heart or a pivot is made where something else might seem like a better thing to chase. Failure is sometimes not your choice, but what remains in your control is whether to try again or not.
Really, all "failure" means is that the pursuit is broken because your desire wasn't strong enough. That's okay. Failure can tell you an awfully lot, especially if it proves to you that you're failing in the right arena.
This grit thing really tells the story. It showcases your secondary abilities in the best way, because even though you are pretty darn good at something, you must count on grit to get you to the finish line.
