True Grit...

My sister-in law once called me a pit bull. It was apparently meant as a compliment. Pit bulls, she explained, are tenacious and have perseverance.

Personally, I can think of animals I'd rather be likened to. By the by. I have been told by mates that grit is one of my best and worst qualities; I'm a stayer if I believe in something and will withstand the throes of the weather, but I also have a tendency to flog a dead horse.

And flogging a dead horse, as we know, is not only a bloody bore, but a waste of precious energy.

Grit is a necessary ingredient for success.

"Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals," psychologist Angela Duck-worth said in a famous TED talk on the topic.

"Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years, and working really hard to make that future a reality. Grit is living life like it's a marathon, not a sprint."

by Sarah Berry