Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING]

JESSICA PINCHBECK

Persistence is a personality characteristic that’s been shown to be highly important in those people who are successful. An American professor, Angela Duckworth, has coined the term ‘grit’ to explain this persistence. And she defines grit as the effort and interest over a period of years overcoming setbacks, adversity, or plateaus in progress towards a goal.

CATHERINE FAUX

I can’t truthfully say that every single training session is a bundle of laughs, because it is hard. And that’s what training is about. It’s an element of discipline as well as enjoying it. But most of the time, if I’m not feeling totally up for a training session, by the end of it I’ll be glad that I did it. And during the training session as well, I’ll be glad that I’m doing it.

OWEN DAVIES

Well, on the pitch, you know, I always have a continual optimism that I can be better. And so, you know, today it’s going to be a tough game. Last week we had a tough match, and we were 4-2 down on point. I had belief that we could go back.

We did bring it back to four. And I always have a deal of optimism that we can do that. But it’s tough.

And actually it’s looking at the facts and seeing that it’s not working. And the great thing is, sport’s not maths. It’s not a set result. And if you have the heart and you have the belief and you can fight for it, you can actually turn around tough results.

[CHEERING]

JESSICA PINCHBECK

In order to develop this grit, Duckworth has linked it to the growth mindset. So thinking that things aren’t fixed, so intelligence is very malleable, and here what we do is we look at setbacks as something that we can learn from and grow from, rather than seeing them as a failure or a reflection of our ability. So, having that growth mindset and being able to build upon that and being able to look at setbacks and problems that we encounter and turn them into a positive to help us focus and stay motivated towards our goal is really key.

POPPY BLAKE

When it gets tough, I find it easier to keep going if I remember what my goals are so that I want to make GB team again, or remembering what I’ve done in the past and how good that was and, yeah, trying to do that again. Or if I want something more than I’ve ever done before, just remembering what those goals are.

[MUSIC PLAYING]