It's like a mantra for all those in the trenches who are figuring out the next move. I, too, recite these with myself regularly. One of our core values is “grit with grace,” and it's embedded into our ethos.
But on a recent weekend trip with my son and husband, it made me realize these mantras are so much more than words but how we act and talk about them that makes an impact. It's one thing to say “stay positive” but another to live “staying positive.”
So here’s how the day unraveled. Let me paint the picture. Beautiful sunny day, 80 degrees, blue sky over the holiday long weekend. We took our bikes to a rail trail and biked for 12 miles, passing incredible marshes and tidal waters. Packed up the bikes to head home, and on the way, we got a flat tire.
Just like in business, everything is going on track, and then something unexpected happens and throws you into a loop. We were able to pull off the road and call AAA; they said in 1 hour, we’ll be there. Great- reasonable! Still feeling positive. Hour one passes, and they send a text, “Sorry, we’re experiencing high call volume; we’ll let you know when we will be there.” I'm still feeling optimistic. But as hours two, three, four, and five passed well, it could have started to fade.
If anyone has ever been in a closed car with a 6-year-old for hours… well, you get my drift. All that energy is trapped in one place for too long. I think a lot about mental grit and positivity in general. How do people in business turn out the way they do, how do they find strength in such difficult situations and grow organizations from nothing into thriving communities? In my opinion, it starts with perspective. Perspective gives someone the ability to determine good or bad and make a choice based on their viewpoint.