Success in accomplishing your goals requires grit: passion and perseverance over a long stretch of time. Grit requires constantly moving toward toward your north star– who you were meant to be–over the course of years, despite life’s inevitable trials and tribulations. This requires the capacity to ignore distractions, and to maintain one’s enduring purpose.
But life is not only about reaching one’s goals in life. One may have the passion and tenacity in full force, but still feel deeply unfilled once they reach the top of the mountain. I believe a really important characteristic that must be coupled with grit throughout the hero’s journey is authenticity.