The Illusion Every Top Performer Uses to Make You Pay Attention

Grit forms Passion (36/52)

We all stand in awe of the illusion that great artists, athletes, performers, and business people create for us.

Our psychology craves the illusion. But, why do we want to think of the genius or the elite as effortless?

The fluency they have in their craft is far from effortless; and it takes far more effort to develop that fluency than many of us can imagine.

Their practice is hidden from us.

The performer is motivated to hide their messy origins. It loses magic when the messiness is revealed.

We’re motivated to see beyond the effort required of these performers to reach the top level. But why?

If we believe they have a gift, something extraordinary that only few can obtain, we can relax and stand in awe. Amazed of their unique talent.

There is a paradox — While we all want to witness these magical performances, we all also desire to feel the same freedom, expressiveness, fortitude, and resilience of those we stand in awe of.

We want to glide across the stage. We want to make the crowd roar. To win the next award. To be a part of that winning team. To create a ripple in this world with our gift.

We want the fluency and freedom that appears so effortless for these top performers. Yet, too many of us are unwilling to put in the work. We stop at the dream of it all.

The effort, habits, mental fortitude, and resilience that ALL top performers develop, is formed like steel — extreme high temperatures melt the metal to remove impurities and imperfections.

This is Grit.

It’s formally defined by psychologist Angela Duckworth as:

“Perseverance and passion for long-term goals.”

What I’ve come to learn through reading, discussion, and life experience, is that grit — hard work and effort — typically lead you to your passion. It’s not the other way around.

Passion is a byproduct of making good choices, accomplishing personal goals, and working hard to see improvement in your life and (ideally) in the life of others you are helping.

Purpose is another matter, and something we covered more in the topic of Intention.

But passion is created. It’s when you lay your life down for something. You invest in yourself. You sacrifice in order to grow, to contribute, to provide, to live your life.

Your hobby is not a passion. It’s an interest…a hobby. Something you do only when you feel like it. Where’s the sacrifice?

The goal is to point your energy into developing a skill and a talent. To set goals for yourself that you want to accomplish. And then — and here’s the important part — you put in the effort.

Build the habits.

Get up when you fall. Stand taller.

Experiment. Train. Practice. Do.

I heard a story about an Olympic swimmer. I can’t remember who specifically, but it was a winning Olympian. I swam as a kid and teenager, so I understand (to a much smaller degree) the pain of waking up early to jump in cold water and swim until it hurts. This is what’s required every day of every year for this swimmer! He admitted that he didn’t enjoy practice. It hurt. It was hard. But it was an intentional, deliberate practice.

Why did he do it? He was passionate about swimming. I guarantee the passion was forged through the hard work, steady personal growth and progress, then the winning, then more hard work, more progress, more achievement, the gold medal, and so on.

Passion is created.

Don’t let the illusion of top performers trick you into thinking you can't achieve the top of whatever pursuit you’re chasing after. You can, just as they did — through the messiness with grit, focused nd undistracted.

“Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint.” — Angela Duckworth

In the coming weeks, we’ll continue to explore more about Grit, Resiliency, and Passion. To prepare, start with the challenge below.

THE CHALLENGE

What influenced your grit?

Are you someone who has grit? Can you put in deliberate practice over an extended period of time? Can you stay focused on your goal and work toward it one day at a time?

Rate your grittiness on a scale of 1–10 where 1 is “no grit at all” and a 10 is “extremely gritty.”

Now reflect on your score. Who and what in your life influenced your grittiness?

For me, I saw my dad work hard to create a great life for us. Wedged in between an older and younger brother, I believe that influenced my grit, as well. Hard work has always been a part of how I approached anything.

But, my grit has also wavered. I’ve fallen victim to the illusion of so many top performers, believing that greatness can be achieved with minimal effort. Grit, like many of the other topics we’ve explored throughout the year, is something we need to constantly bring ourselves back to. To remind ourselves to put in the hard work, to stay focused, to not just dream but do.

To Your Success,

Will