Not Always Grit
The inner strength to persevere, when faced with difficult challenges, and see it through the end, not giving up. That's grit. First popularized by Angela Duckworth, her research shows how it correlates with success. Like most books, authors don't argue against their main theme as much as for their main theme, except in the case to convince you not. We'll do that.
In fact, one agrees that perseverance is important to get something done. Without, you would see half-finished projects everywhere. But what about direction? One could travel down a road far with grit, but not recognizing the wrong road traveled. When you're too gritty, your grit forces you to see it through, and not allowing you to quit. If that means several years or decades, that's it, years wasted, decades gone, and you'd achieved nothing of significance in the "correct" direction.
Take an example: you work through a project, and you'd feel like quitting, yet you're gritty, so you end up finishing the project. Great! Grit in the correct direction. Another example: you want to be an entrepreneur, but your family put immense pressure that you'd be a doctor, to keep on track. You regret it later for not changing course. Meh! Grit in the wrong direction. Another worse example: someone popular on TV has a big idea. Then, some government execute his idea, he ensure it'll be successful. It turns out not, but he's so attached to the idea he cannot see it otherwise. Furthermore, changing ideas means admitting mistake, and what make of his face?
Grit and stubborn really is a family. Overdo grit, and it'll become stubbornness. It's probably better to analyze what you'd grit over before continuing, and have a half-a-year (or a shorter period) check, whether one should continue gritting through, or correct course. It's no use moving a long distance if it doesn't take you in the direction you'd prefer.
Remember to Like and Subscribe!
Notes:
CORRELATION IS NOT CAUSATION! Correlation is not causation! Correlation is not causation! Important thing say three times!
Personally, one hate the word "passion." It arise negative emotions; probably because "passion = burnout" to me. And the overuse of such words in CV means its too fake, numb to the word.
Most of these are "by-and-large" rather than totally. For example, the author is a scientist, so she don't only argue for the main theme totally, and she did mentioned about getting your kids to try many stuffs before settling on one. As usual, one don't see a problem in not settling on one, but anyways...
That entrepreneur doctor example is taken from Think Again by Adam Grant.
That next example of popular guy is from Superforecasters by Philip Tetlock.
And, one suggest putting down face if it stands in your way to change. You could keep it if it don't, though; but don't let it stand in your way to change, to learn.
Extension of point 3, "by-and-large" also means, if there are any certainty one mentioned in the text, it's only partially true. Nothing is certain, and there will always be exceptions. Don't be that "well-actually" guy! (read more on this on Calling Bullshit).
The book is Grit by Angela Duckworth.