Snapshot:

• Grit & self-contral are strong contributors to success.
• College athletes have had four years to exercise self-control and grit in a way that most people have not had the opportunity to practice.
• Put college athletes in you company where their dedication, ability to stay focused, and the unwillingness to give up boosts productivity within your organization.

How do you explain when you place two people with the same talent and opportunity side by side and one is significantly more “successful” than the other? This is likely explained by two factors, self-control and grit. Both predict success above intelligence. (Duckworth et. al 2007)

Self-Control is defined as the capacity to regulate attention, emotion , and behavior in the presence of temptation. (Duckworkth and Gross, Self-Control and Grit: Related but Separable Determinants of Success 2014)

Grit is defined as the tenacious pursuit of a superior goal despite setbacks.

Angela Duckworth explains how having self-control and grit are strong contributors to success. This can help explain why college athletes are so successful not just athletically but also once they start their careers. Athletes have both self-control and grit which sets them apart from their peers.

Self-control and Grit, both predict success above intelligence.

College athletes have had four years to exercise self-control and grit in a way that most people have not had the opportunity to practice. Here is a list of 5 ways that athletes have exercised self-control and grit which leads them to be exceptional employees.

5 Ways College Athletes Have Developed Grit & Self-Control

1. College Athletes Can’t Party

In college when all of their friends are going to parties and bars college athletes are in their dorm rooms preparing for tomorrow’s game or practice. Athletes must resist the temptation of their non-athlete peers. They resist peer pressure and delay gratification for the greater good of their team and athletic career. Athletes are able to put aside the immediate gratification of a night out to pursue a larger more beneficial goal.  (Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying college athletes don’t party they do it’s just usually more limited and at different times than most college kids)

2. Early Morning Practice

Not only do college athletes have to make sacrifices during their season but there is also off-season commitments that include practice and training. Much of this training happens early in the morning at 5:00 or 6:00 am. Many college kids don’t think about getting up before 10:00 am and let’s be realistic everyone has that friend who slept until noon.

3. Maintain Academics

After that early morning practice, it would be easiest to go home and take a nap but athletes still have a day of classes ahead of them. Athletes push though the fatigue and go to class. I know there is a stereotype that college athletes take the easy classes and don’t actually have to attend them but this is false. College athletes do not have the privilege of skipping class if anything their presence is watched over more strictly. To push though the fatigue and maintain studies is a good exercise in both self-control and grit.

4. No Summer Vacation

Athletes can’t take the summer off. They must maintain a training schedule to be ready for pre-season when the school year begins. They must have the self-discipline to force themselves to train when their coach and teammates are not around. This is where athletes must exercise a lot of self-control and self-discipline because they are left to their own devices. An athlete that can train themselves alone has a lot of self-control and grit. Some athletes jeopardize their team if they fall off their training in the summer. Those that follow through are very dedicated to themselves, their team, and the large goal.

5. They Didn’t Quit

Maybe one of the most overlooked things about a college athlete is that they were a college athlete. Playing 4 years of a college sport means you are not a quitter and you see things though until the end. At one pint every four-year athlete thought about quitting at least once. Likely they thought about quitting more than once. What this shows when faced with repeated adversity they are willing to push thought. It would have been emotionally and physically easier to quit. The point is the athlete digs deep and sits with the pain knowing that it is temporary and that the goal they are striving for is more important than any temporary setback.

How someone with Grit & Self-Control benefits your organization:

• Overcome setbacks / Conquer challenges
• Stay focused on projects
• Stay dedicated to interests over years
• Don’t get discouraged
• Don’t lose interest on ideas
• Work hard
• Pursue one goal
• Diligent

College athletes have had four years to practice self-control and were tested on their level of grit. Knowing their dedication, their ability to stay focused, and their unwillingness to give up isn’t this the type of person you want in your organization?