Teaching Students "GRIT" and "Stick-With-IT-ness"

I emailed all my students this information below.  I would like to embed it into my online courses by connecting it to the skills of an online learner.   

We all have setbacks but if you can learn to quickly bounce back from them, stay positive, and gut it out during the tough times you will make it.  

According to the article “Find the Winner’s Edge” by Jen Ator there are six mental traits that you can be develop and strengthen like your muscles to summon the will to win.  She says, “Olympic athletes tap into a set of mental strengths that enable them to conquer fear, stay focused, and drive relentlessly toward their dreams.”  http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/winners-edge

1. Perseverance - Fierce and steadfast dedication; holding tight to your dreams with patience and true grit 

The Underdog:  If you want something badly enough and you never give up, you may just be able to accomplish it.  

Feel like giving up?  Tell yourself you have to try ONE more time before you decide. 

2. Self-Awareness - Introspective evaluation;  having an accurate measure of your own ability

A crucial factor in whether we stick with or give up on a task is how we view our ability to reach that particular goal.

This is called self-efficacy.  People high in self-efficacy can have a greater sense of motivation, feel more empowered, and channel failure into success.  This doesn’t mean being unrealistic about your actual ability.  Seeing the end goal in your mind helps it feel real, which can revive your hope and motivation.

3.  Resilience - Calm and intrepid elasticity;  taking things in stride and adapting to new situations

When the unexpected rips through your life - cancer, divorce, natural disaster - it can change everything.  How well you bounce back can come down to whether you view obstacles as healthy challenges or paralyzing threats.  Being resilient doesn’t change your circumstances - it allows you to move on despite them.  You can’t plan for the unthinkable, but finding “micro-moments” of happiness or gratitude could help you face future adversities. 

4. Perspective - Optimistic and hopeful mindset;  believing in one’s own ability to create a better reality

When it comes to success, hope and optimism are key elements.  Positive people tend to see problems as temporary and feel that they have the ability to influence the future.  When dealing with failure you have a choice in how you look at things.  You can also give yourself ten minutes or an hour or a day to get out your negative feelings rather than keep them bottled up.  Freak out, panic, go to that dark place, then when the time is up move on and tell yourself, “Never let defeat, defeat you and have faith that it will get better."

5.  Focus - Sharp and purposeful concentration; staying cool and observant under pressure

Where we centre our attention can often be the difference between continual success or stalled progress. Staying completely and fully present in the moment helps you tune out unnecessary distractions.  Mindfulness is an incredible tool to help people tolerate and deal with emotions (fear, anger, anxiety, nervousness) in healthy ways, rather than being shut down by them.  Deal with failures, setbacks and obstacles by breathing and checking in with yourself so you can pause and  “choose how to act” rather than just responding automatically.

6.  Discipline - Consistent, self-propelled motivation;  realizing that no one is going to force you or do it for you

When we are uncertain about how to reach a faraway objective, we’re more likely to procrastinate.  Short-term goals are powerful tools that help you with the important in-between steps in reaching your goal.  They help break it down into meaningful stages, which fuels motivation because we know how to accomplish the smaller tasks.  The benefit of these mini-goals is that the reward of finishing them is tangible and close which means we’re less likely to delay or give up on them.  Your dreams and goals are your responsibility if you lose motivation you have to rely on your “commitment,” build positive habits, and be accountable to your support system. 

#teaching grit #ecmp455  #building mental traits #online skills