When Podcasts Get Us Thinking

This morning started as just about every other weekday morning starts. I woke up, laid in bed as I looked through my social media accounts, and then when it was REALLY time to get up for the day I selected one of my favorite podcasts to listen to as I tended to my morning chores before heading out to work. This particular morning it was Freakanomics and the episode was titled “How to Get More Grit in Your Life”. The episode discussed whether God-given talent or determination (grit) were better determinants of someone being successful in life.

This is an age-old question but since this podcast is very scientific based there were plenty of studies and mathematics to back up each interviewee’s arguments. However, the term ‘grit’ in this age-old question seemed new to me, which was described as the “…passion and perseverance for especially long–term goals”.

Is Grit something that can be learned or is Grit just another natural born ability? What drives some people to have more grit than others? While there is not a true answer to any of these questions they did end the podcast by encouraging people to find a passion, anything you want, and to stick with it. I for one wanted to learn how to play guitar; bought a guitar, took some lessons, practiced everyday for about 2 months and then just stopped. No reason, I liked learning how to play and the potential of starting a new hobby but still I didn’t fully commit. Now that guitar is sitting in the corner of my room reminding me of my lapse in grit; a lapse in my ability to stick with a potential passion for the long-term.

At Blue Ion we are constantly on the search for Grit; to partner with people, companies, or causes that are passionate. People that want to make a long-term impact in the way that others live their lives. As for myself, I am passionate about what makes people click. What about an ad, offer, or company makes some one not only search, and click, but complete a goal action? How can we introduce the passion of a client to a customer who shares that same passion?

Also, hopefully this time next year I will be showing off my sick ass guitar picking skills on this very same blog.

Here’s to hoping!