Grinding is a very popular term these days. This is especially the case in the hip hop culture. Grinding has to do with putting the work in to get what you want. In our culture , we are taught that in order to be successful , you have to work hard at something in order to get results. We are taught that this is a noble task. Let’s look at the dictionaries definition of “grind”. According to the dictionary , grind refers to hard, dull work as in ” relief from the daily grind.” There is definitely nothing glamorous about grinding. It’s following the same tired routine day in and day out. It’s about keeping your head down, biting your tongue and following the herd for 20 or 30 years only to receive a retirement packcage that , if your lucky , will be equivalent to half of your current salary. In other words, ” Congratulations, devoted employee for reaching your retirement age working to make us , the leadership, wealthy. In exchange for your committed yearly service, take this gold monogramed watch, pen and retirement pay. Now go on and live the rest of your life getting older , sicker , poorer and waiting to die. Thanks again.”. That’s what I think of when I think about the word “grinding”. Don’t believe the hype. No other species , but humans, grind. A fulfilled life is a life lived in the flow.

Grit has to do with a personal calling. You have a drive that propels you forward because you have established a vision that you are emotionally tied to. This vision is actually a part of you. It is as if the vision is calling you. You feel it in your heart , mind and gut. You can’t shake it. If allowed to, it will consume you. It’s okay. It is the reason why you are here. Nothing else will do. Own it. This is the stuff of grit.

It takes grit to realize your dreams. It takes a determination that that might transcend the understanding of those that are closest to you. It’s okay. It takes grit to follow your dreams into their state of reality. Embrace the journey and be determined to enjoy the ride. There is no true arrival. There is only mountain after mountain to conquer and growing stronger and stronger from the experience. You are mighty! Both the victories and the challenges make for a fulfilled life. Embrace it all. Ultimately, it’s all good. Be determined that it is. Stay present AND determined learning as you go. Let’s GO!!!

Grit is tied to not only perseverence , but also passion. Do you have a goal or , better yet, a life purpose that you are passionate about? What is your idea of a fulfilling life? What is excites you? I am passionate about seeing others realize their potential and using my words to help others to do just that! I love to see people succeed on their own terms. I call it “blooming”. I get visions for people for what I see they are capable of becoming. I literally see their potential life in my mind and that vision excites me. I literally get gitty. It is like a drug. I love sharing my vision for a person with them. I get excited witnessing and sharing with someone about their capabilities. For me, there is no greater investment than in human beings whether it is with words, time or money. Human potentiality has been my passion longer than I can remember. I am a natural counselor, advisor, teacher. consultant or coach. This is why I started the blog as well as applied for my current job as a Senior Academic and Career Advisor with a leading college. My passion flows out of me like water. It is as natural for me as breathing. The visions that I get for others leaves me in a state of passion and bliss. It is my opinion that these two states should be our default states as humans. We should each be living lives of unbridled passion and bliss while engaging in activities that foster these emotions. They are natural driving forces of which grit is a byproduct. As the saying goes, ” When you work at what you love, you never “work” a day in life.” As Joseph Campbell wrote, ” Follow your bliss.” Anything else is settling. Bliss , passion, perseverence and hope are some of the characteristics that fuel grit as well as differentiates it from grinding. Outside of humans, no other species on this planet grinds. Every other species does what they are designed to do, day in and day out. We sabotage ourselves with our overthinking and our concern with what others thing about us. Other species are too busy living their best life to do that. We tend to overcomplicate our lives creating challengs and problems that don’t need to exist. It is a vicious cyle. For many of us, we follow the same dull, repetitive routine every day a large chunk of because we have been taught that it what we are supposed to do. Doing what you love to do each day of your life is heaven on earth. Many of us settle for “catching hell.” It is my conviction is that both “heaven” and “hell” or states of mind. It is a choice. We each have the ability to assume either state. Whichever one is at our minds forefront is realized in our experience. We are creators of both. We are not here to live lives of quiet desperation grinding away. We are each called to be conscious creators patiently applying grit towards creating our ideal life experiences ie “heaven on earth”. What other lifestyle can be sweeter?!! We are each here to experience life to the full. The vision is different for each of us. Create purposefully regardless of what is occurring moment by moment aligning yourself with the natural flow of creation . Trust this flow, while staying present, paying attention and trusting the process. When we do this life becomes exciting and we are energized . This state is a natural fuel for the realization of our desires compelling us forward while being determined to grow and learn from every experience. This is the stuff of grit. You can’t live life to your greatest potential while living your best life without it.What drives you?

We are each here to demonstrate God. “God” can be an extremely loaded term. When I refer to God, I am referring to unlimited potentiality existing to be expressed through both you and me. If we are each here to demonstrate God then it is a natural conclusion for me to assume that we are also here to establsh our own personal vision of “heaven”. This realization takes grit. Leave “catching hell” to the grinders. As I stated, we are called to be concscious creators. Let’s create together.