So Dr. Angela Duckworth and her research team at the University of Pennsylvania have performed an incredible service by giving us this succinct–and profoundly useful–definition. True grit is “perseverance and passion for long-term goals.” Grit is courage, not just in the moment but sustained over time, in the ongoing pursuit of challenging objectives. And, according to research, it outperforms both talent and intelligence in activities as diverse and graduating from military school and competing in the National Spelling Bee.

The team identified 17 distinct elements to the perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Some of these are predictable, like not being discouraged by roadblocks or setbacks, having a strong inner drive, and working hard. Others I found surprising, like enjoying the latest and greatest innovations and having an array of outside interests. Turns out, while these things may make you a better cocktail party guest, they distract you from achieving long-term success. How true is your grit? Go to the web site and see: Grit Survey.

The Window or the Mirror?

With due respect, however, to the researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, I would like to add one more item to the list. I’ll pose it as a question, “Where do you look when things go wrong?” I’ve found when things go wrong that people look one of two places: out the window or in the mirror.

When people look out the window, they blame external forces for things that have gone wrong. It’s the economy, the competition, your stupid boss, or your lame web site. The list is endless, but the outcome’s the same. When results don’t meet expectations, looking outside the window seeks a solution external to one’s self, yielding your power to forces you cannot control. Long-term goals languish because victims don’t climb mountains, finish marathons, or bring revolutionary products to market.

When people look in the mirror, just the opposite occurs. They discover solutions to problems that lie within their power to control. Instead of being overwhelmed with guilt, they are empowered by the steps of action they can take to change the status quo. They reach their long-term goals in spite of the roadblocks in their way because they refuse to allow external factors to become an excuse for inaction.

And here’s a very, very important final point. Looking in the mirror doesn’t mean committing intellectual suicide. Yes, the economy has been challenging and your competition may be cutthroat. You may have a stupid boss and a lame web site. So what? Stop letting external forces dictate your success and stop being a victim. Perfection never exists, so get over it. And get on with it. Grit, true grit, find the guts within oneself to get things done, in spite of any obstacle or excuse.

I could not turn it down.I love supporting Non-Profits! Please check out my short look at the launch party. See some of the fun we were having when a major company like Keen extends a hand to help the world by supporting CBI and there new site Data Basin.

A blog post about the event can be found here.

A Toast to Data Basin at Keen Headquarters

Hello everyone my name is Sean Brown and this is my first blog post on the Madison Ave blog. Today I would like to talk about some of my feelings on independent and community projects.

We’re all professionals who do good work here at the MAC. A lot of the time we will be working on projects that we got from our own sources. While working on these projects we might collaborate with other MAC members or community members to achieve what is best for the client/projects needs.  It’s in that collaboration that the creative process of independent pros like ourselves can flourish.

Supporting the community/collaborative process is vital to achieve the highest quality results. The more passionate you and your team are about a project the more the ideas will flow and the brainstorms will strike.

I’m a filmmaker and videographer.  In my profession you can be a solo bird that does all the roles or work with a decided and passionate team to create amazing results.

I have done both.

I enjoy working with a team of people who know what they are doing and enjoy doing it.

Filmmaking is my passion and I enjoy that I get to do it everyday and teach it to the community at large.

There are many ways to support community, local, collaborative, creative projects.

I have a new project coming up soon that will all be shot in Oregon.

I’m using a website that is for artist, musicians, and creative people to rally together in support of the arts, to see a dream become a reality.

My new project called “Reality Crash” is in pre-production and I’m raising funds through a community website called Kickstarter. I would suggest checking it out and seeing if this site could help you on your way to creating your art.

If you would like to see or support my project, the link is here:

Reality Crash

Take a look at this site and see. These may not be the first magnetic resonance images (MRIs) of fruits and vegetables, but they’re the first I’ve seen. Check out the way these common food items change and pulse as we watch. Broccoli can look like fireworks, and mushrooms like jellyfish …

… it’s a good reminder that things we are used to can look very different if we take the time to see them in a new way.

The next time you’re trying to debug that CSS code, or talk to a difficult customer, or figure out why that filter isn’t working on your image, stop for a second, breathe, and try to look at the situation with fresh eyes. Who knows what associations will pop up, triggering your brain to come up with a new solution?

Ok so Nike+ is an amazing little bit of technology that I have been using. No, it’s not that new, but there website is! Basically it’s a tool to track your runs, one part in or on your shoes and the other a watch you strap on a add on for your iPod/iPhone. I use the watch which has a removable USB port.

I love user experience

I went for a run a few days ago and I ran the fastest mile I have yet to run using nike+. I plugged in my usb watch, it loaded the workout, pulled up the website but before showing me my run data a video pops up, a famous run tells me “I know fast when I see it, congratulation on your fastest mile yet” the screen closes, and well its kind of cheese its kind of awesome to. The site is easy to use and it feels… fun and fast.

A Little History

Last year I ran a marathon (hardest thing I’ve ever done) and a half marathon, much nicer : ). During this time I was running with my iPhone and tracking with GPS, running 16 miles well holding and iPhone is not so great. Nike+ is small and well it’s not GPS the benefit is when its cloudy nike+ still works, and its very light.

Design is what makes the product

I’ll just say that the nike+ site has “top shelf” design and interface, take a look.

Anyways I am not a fast running, but I love it so if any one wants to go on a jog let me know. Currently using this new website to train for a 10K!

the quote read

“My freedom thus consists in my moving about within the narrow frame that I have assigned to myself for each one of my undertakings. I shall go even further: my freedom will be so much the greater and more meaningful the more narrowly I limit my field of action and the more I surround myself with obstacles. Whatever diminishes constraint diminishes strength. The more constraints one imposes, the more one frees oneself of the claims that shackle the spirit.”
– Igor Stravinsky, Poetics of Music in the Form of Six Lessons

After musing on this for a bit and finding it rings true in much art. I.E. painting is amazing because it’s confined to paint, so when people make painting look real or surreal it’s amazing they do it, because they are in the box of painting.

Then I came upon this awesome article. It’s a short story about a 15 year old  kid who created an iPhone app which Apple ( you know the huge billion dollar profit company… maybe you’ve heard of them or maybe you live on an island)… sorry so Apple thought this app was just simple flash light app, which in all fairness it seemed to be. In reality it was an internet tethering app that allowed users to by pass AT&T’s change of $20/mo and use an iPhone as a modem making this function free! Read full story here.

Every day the limits of technology and nature try to hold us back but through imagination and creativity we keep figuring out ways to work within the limits to do things we didn’t think were possible, to do things that seemed out side the box when in fact they were not.

What have you done lately that’s amazing the box your in?

As you move through your day negotiating with clients, paying bills, or planning next week’s goals, take a moment to (figuratively) look up at the sky. What kinds of forces can you see headed your way (economic, social, personal) that can provide you with information to help make your later Now better?

I think there is a better place to start. First, anticipate. There will be push-back, a pull to conform, to survive, to return to normal. Gird yourself for the struggle. Then, take the time to ask yourself the harder questions. I found Seth Godin’s recent post a good place to start. He lists questions he believes every freelancer, project manager, or entrepreneur – those leaving normal in search of remarkable – need to ask themselves. They aren’t easy, but they are necessary. There was one, however, that stood out from the rest.

To me, the list hinges on #8. It’s key to the kind of business and life you are planning to create. He asks, “Which: to invent a category or to be just like Bob/Sue, but better?” In other words, chose to be game-changing, or compete as a commodity. One is uncommon and risky, the other familiar and acceptable. Which will it be for you?

That leads us to the heart of the issue. Do you need to be understood? Sure, anyone with a tinge of entrepreneur inside wants to make the unique. But if it’s truly different, even revolutionary, then it certainly won’t be familiar. If it was, someone would already be doing it. So, are you willing to put your heart and soul into producing something even those close to you (and maybe even you yourself) won’t understand in the beginning? Or maybe ever?

The deal is, if you are expecting an idea bundled with the latest user manual on how to explain it to the world, forget it. If you want remarkable, be prepared for the long slog through blank stares, disapproval, and rejection. Sure, there will be victories. Maybe a few will get it. But in the midst of testing, failing, retesting, tabling, and restarting, approval will be rare. And you need to be good with that, persevering until the thing you thought might be a good idea gets chiseled down to one that is. Then maybe, you’ll be able to talk about what you do.

What do you think? What have you encountered while working on remarkable?