One single What separates successful athletes (successful people) from other athletes?

I was watching a sports program where the station was interviewing an ‘inner-city youth’ who was just in ninth grade, but was already a basketball star. College coaches had sent initial contact letters. The interviewer noticed that that the youth had a basketball with him and asked, “Do you always have that ball with you?” The player said that he did and he always was dribbling the basketball everywhere he went.

The interviewer said, “That must be hard to bounce on all the rough roads and sidewalks.” Without missing a beat they youth said, “My mama says when I ain’t dribbling, someone else is. So I dribble, all the time, everywhere I go.”

Angela Lee Duckworth spoke at Ted Talks on the topic of success. Her finding – The key, most important factor, to achieve success is grit.

She found that in order to predict success, in many different contexts, a single characteristic emerged as the best indicator.

It wasn’t social intelligence.

It wasn’t good looks physical health.

It was grit and the passion and perseverance a person has that determines success.

Don’t Give Up

It has having the stamina to stick to your long term goals great.

Hard Work Beats Talent

Grit is sticking with your desire, day in day out.

If you are an athlete and you want to be better, you have to work harder. Continually improve. Out work your competition.

Got Grit? Take this Grit Test