I used to quit anything I wasn't good at.

"Meh. I didn't really want to do that anyway."

When I was young, grit was a quality that could not be measured.

Angela Duckworth changed all that when she published Grit, a book that reveals years of research into what grit means, why some are seemingly born with it and why most of us fail to grasp gritty attributes.

Over the years, I have learned that most people who want to reach a skill-centric dream end up failing because they lack clarity on what they can control and what factors are out of their reach.

They think they are not "good enough", and never realize grit is attainable, and this lack of understanding is what's actually holding them back.

To be honest, it took me quite a while to learn this lesson too.

Here are some of the other reasons I've learned people fail at achieving "reach" dreams.

Reason #1: The habit of discipline can be acquired.

Reason #2: They do not know they can cultivate a sense of purpose and meaning.

Reason #3: They can teach themselves to hope.

(From Angela Duckworth's book, Grit)

Overcoming failure is a crucial part of succeeding, moving forward, and making actionable progress.

We overcome failure by shifting our mindsets with regard to discipline, purpose, and hope.

Don't worry: we've all been there.