Austin Hatch

There are four key components to Grit, and Hatch believes Grit is driven by having a Greater Purpose. If we are working just for ourselves, it is very likely that we will eventually face some form of adversity that will cause us to give up because we don’t have a driving force for why we do what we do. We need to find something that we’re willing to sacrifice for. If we are working for something bigger than ourselves, I believe we will always do what it takes to get the job done, no matter the task and no matter the circumstances. Our Purpose drives Grit.

The Four Components of Grit

• Growth Mindset
• Resilience
• Integrity
• The Team First Mentality

Growth Mindset is the first component of Grit. The Growth Mindset believes every setback, every failure, every adversity, is an opportunity. Even when we inevitably fall short of a goal, the Growth Mindset does not believe that is a permanent condition. We can find a way to grow through adversity and be better because of it. The adversity alone will not be a source of growth, but I believe we can grow from how we choose to respond. It’s a choice to have the Growth Mindset.

The decision to be Resilient is the second component of Grit. If we make the decision to be Resilient, we take Massive Action in the face of adversity. Massive Action. It took Massive Action to go from a coma to playing for Michigan. I believe achieving our goals in the midst of challenges is the result of taking Massive Action. Massive Action alone does not guarantee we’ll overcome our challenges and achieve our goals, but not taking action will guarantee that we won’t overcome.

The third component of Grit is Integrity. In the context of overcoming adversity, or working to achieve any goal, I believe Integrity is about following through on our commitments, especially when our circumstances change. I believe we should always deliver on what we commit to. A lot of people set goals, and that’s very important, but I think it’s more effective to set commitments that will put us in position to achieve our goals. If we have integrity, we’ll always follow through on our commitments, no matter the task and no matter the circumstance.

The fourth component of Grit is The Team First Mentality. We owe it to the team to take pride in our role, whatever it is. We should make the effort every day to be the best that we can be. Every person on every team has a role and that role is very important. We don’t all have the same role, but I believe every role on the team is very important. There is no “I” in team, but I believe a team will be better if it is made up of individuals who are personally driven to be the best they can be.

We all face challenges every day. I believe part of my purpose in life to help others find ways to thrive in the midst of them.