Gumption.

Definition: Shrewd or spirited initiative and resourcefulness.

The most ‘successful’ and talented people around me are not born talented. They aren’t born with a success gene that other people don’t have.

They take initiative.
They try things.
They iterate.
They fail beautifully.

They have GUMPTION.

Gumption to try things when other people won’t. Courage to stand up and proclaim their ideas, even when confronted with naysayers. Bravery to put their ideas into actions. Determination to see their ideas to the end. A work ethic to keep them going. A consistency and relentless tenacity even in the face of adversity.

Do you have gumption?

 



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7 Responses to Gumption.

  1. Dharmesh says:

    I surely have some gumption :). What I find the most difficult is to overcome the fear of failure. I think that is something that stops lot of people from trying something new.

  2. Alex T says:

    Which comes first? Gumption or motivation?

    Thanks

  3. [...] The word “decision” is based on the Latin “decisio,” which means a cutting off. The verb is decidere, to cut off, (“de” is off; “caedere” is to cut). You can see the root repeated in other familiar words: scissors, incision, caesarean section.  Michael Ellsberg, in his book, The Education of Millionaires, recounts the work of Randy Komisar and his thoughts on playing it safe versus taking risks. [...]

  4. [...] a free list of ideas that (“just”) need to be implemented. If you have the guts, the time, the ambition, and the belief in a way to figure out these problems, go get ‘em. [...]

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