Too much grit?

Grit is undoubtedly a critical ingredient to success in life. Without grit and the tenacity to carry on when challenges arise, as they always do, minor obstacles in your path can seem insurmountable. In fact many leaders and employers value immensely a great attitude and a proven track record that demonstrates grit. A great definition is "...grit is all about tenacity and an unwavering conviction to your beliefs." And I suspect the title of this article will get me in a spot of bother with an old colleague from Sydney who would say there is no such thing as too much grit.

Learning is one of the most essential abilities that we posses and is at the core of the eminence of our civilization. Being able to adapt to an ever-changing environment by incorporating new information into our thoughts and actions is fundamental to our success. So at which point does the unwavering conviction in our beliefs become a liability, giving us tunnel vision and limiting our ability to take on feedback and learn? And is there even such a point?

Narcissistic Personality Disorder is perhaps an extreme example, at the far end of the spectrum. Individuals with NPD are almost immune to feedback and seldomly change their behavior, making them also quite predictable as a result of this. NPD aside, we have all come across people in our lives where we wished they would listen and take on some of the feedback being given to them.

So how do you remain pliable enough to continuously take on feedback and criticism, incorporating that which is constructive, while maintaining a high degree of conviction in your beliefs? And what if the feedback causes you to re-examine your beliefs, which in itself is a requisite to personal growth and development.

On a personal level I see this as a constant balancing act that we perform. In a work and team environment, I think the packaging and delivery of the message goes a long way. By genuinely understanding the recipient of the feedback and their values, you can then package your message and deliver it in a manner that will have the most positive impact.

And in accordance with the message of this article, I would really like to hear your thoughts on this and how you balance this (please feel free to put your comments).