You might be skilled, talented, educated, and brilliant. But, if you’re not resilient, persistent, and gritty, it’s nearly impossible to make the most of those other attributes.

Think about the five most successful people you know. On the average, they may or may not be that talented, but they probably know how to get things done and persist.

Are resilience and grit the missing ingredients in your quest for success?

Try these techniques to increase your resilience and grit:

1. Stay in contact with others. When times are tough, it’s common to withdraw from others. In fact, it’s often when we need support the most that we’re the least likely to seek it. Let go of the idea that strong people do everything themselves. Maintain your relationships.
2. This too shall pass. It’s easier to stand strong when you expect things to improve at some point. When you know the hard times will pass, it’s your grit and resilience that help you get there.
3. Know that the most successful people are those with the most resilience.  It’s not that challenges don’t happen to successful people, it’s that they use the experiences to become stronger, better and wiser. They don’t run from challenges, they face them head on.
4. Take care of yourself. No matter what’s going on in your life, you need food, rest, connection, exercise, fun, etc.. Take good care of yourself and you’ll be in a better position to weather challenges. Most people ignore their needs during difficult times, but taking care of yourself helps give you the strength to take on what you need to.
5. Be active, not passive. Rather than passively waiting for things to get better, take steps to improve the situation. If there’s something constructive you can do, do it.
6. Give yourself mental breaks. No matter how resilient you may be, take regular breaks to recharge your batteries. What’s your favorite way to take a mental break? You could spend time in nature, read a book, or meet up with a friend. Do whatever works best for you.
7. Remind yourself of all the adversity you’ve overcome so far. No one’s life is smooth sailing 100% of the time. You’ve already overcome many obstacles. Remind yourself of your past successes during challenging times. It can help give you the fortitude and motivation to continue.
8. Live a life that revolves around your interests. If you have a job you hate, it’s hard to have a lot of grit and resilience. It’s much easier to have perseverance while doing something you love. Find a career and hobbies that you love. The need for grit will be much lower.
9. Spend time with resilient people. We become more like the people we spend the most time with. Choose your friends wisely. You’ll become a stronger person if you spend time with strong people. Find some people that have the qualities and characteristics you admire.

What could life look like if you were more resilient? You’d be unstoppable!

Most people spend their time trying to improve their skills. Consider building your resilience and grit as a pathway to help you get to wherever you’d like to go.

Dr. Debi
Founder, The PBT (Post Betrayal Transformation) Institute