1. Focus on Your Language Choice
The language you use when praising a co-worker, child, or spouse affects grit and resilience. When you praise someone for a characteristic or strength, (for example, “You are really smart. You are so flexible.”), it teaches a fixed mindset. This is why so many successful children struggle once they come across a challenge. Praising for effort or strategy fosters resilience and reminds them of their role in a successful outcome.
2. Surround Yourself with Positive People
Your thoughts become your reality, and so do the thoughts and actions of the people around you. While you can’t pick and choose every single person you interact with on a daily basis, you can be intentional about those you spend time with. By creating an environment where positive thinking and growth mindset are the norm, you will begin to see everything in your life as supporting you rather than thwarting you.
3. Adopt Flexible Thinking Patterns
Becoming less rigid in your thoughts and actions allows resilience and grit to blossom simply because flexible people don’t see problems; they see opportunities for growth and learning. When every challenge is met with creative thinking, you see yourself as capable and this confidence breeds more resilience.
4. Set Goals That Align with Your Purpose
People with a sense of purpose are happier. Purpose can seem like a hard-to-define goal. By creating smaller goals along the pathway to your larger purpose, you increase your success and the rate in which you accomplish your goals.
5. Build Time into Your Day for Reflection
When you take a time to reflect, you bring awareness to the things you have accomplished and the path you want to take. Whether your reflection takes the form of a meditation, a journaling session, or a walk outside, when you give yourself time to assess your accomplishments in a non-judgmental day, it allows you to adjust your actions accordingly.
