{"id":802,"date":"2008-07-17T10:00:49","date_gmt":"2008-07-17T17:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/2008\/07\/17\/gumption\/"},"modified":"2018-04-04T03:02:15","modified_gmt":"2018-04-04T10:02:15","slug":"gumption","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/2008\/07\/17\/gumption\/","title":{"rendered":"Gumption"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Gumption.png\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I love the word \u201cgumption\u201d.\u00c2\u00a0 I like finding words that cram a lot of ideas into a small space.\u00c2\u00a0 Gumption is closely related to boldness or courage, but it also relates more to enthusiasm than simply being able to overcome your fears.\u00c2\u00a0 I think having gumption is important, and it\u2019s something you can possess without being soaked in self-confidence or charisma.<\/p>\n

I was invited to a gala dinner a few weeks ago.\u00c2\u00a0 I was one of a few students amidst hundreds of CEOs, entrepreneurs and executives.\u00c2\u00a0 In other words, I was a little out of my league.<\/p>\n

Instead of sitting with the group of students I was with, I took a friend and we went to go talk to the other attendants.\u00c2\u00a0 One man we went up to talk to admired me, \u201cfor my gumption,\u201d and having the enthusiasm to talk to complete strangers who are far more important and successful than I am.<\/p>\n

What is Gumption?
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If I had to define gumption myself (and I define words for myself all the time, so why not?), I\u2019d say that it\u2019s a combination of boldness and enthusiasm.\u00c2\u00a0 It means taking the initiative, not because you\u2019re immune to fear or dripping with confidence, but simply because you don\u2019t buy into all the socially programmed reasons to hold yourself back.<\/p>\n

Gumption means starting a company at 14<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0 It means going to the gym every day, even though you\u2019re out of shape and surrounded by fit people.\u00c2\u00a0 Gumption is going up to talk to every person at a party, even though you\u2019re a complete stranger.<\/p>\n

Because Nobody is Going to Eat You…<\/h2>\n

I think the person with boldness ask themselves a lot of questions about why they are doing something.\u00c2\u00a0 They create this list of motivation and use it to overcome their fears.\u00c2\u00a0 I visualize boldness as picking out your goal and using it to drive through all fears and obstacles.<\/p>\n

I feel gumption is slightly different as, instead of creating a list of whys, they ask themself, \u201cwhy not?\u201d\u00c2\u00a0 What is the worst that could happen?\u00c2\u00a0 You won\u2019t spontaneously explode if you say hi to someone you don\u2019t know.\u00c2\u00a0 You aren\u2019t going to die if your business idea fails.\u00c2\u00a0 Robert Parsons, founder of GoDaddy, said that one of his favorite quotes was from his father when he had doubts about going into a new venture.\u00c2\u00a0 His father replied, \u201cWell at least they can\u2019t eat you.\u201d<\/p>\n

What’s Your Excuse?
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n

How do you create gumption?\u00c2\u00a0 Although there are a lot of approaches, I think a lot of it comes from not rejecting ideas immediately.\u00c2\u00a0 Societal programming means a lot of ideas are immediately tossed aside before they can be examined critically.\u00c2\u00a0 Ideas get rejected on reflex:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t start a business, because I don\u2019t have any money or experience.\u201d<\/li>\n
  • \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t talk to strangers because that would be rude.\u201d<\/li>\n
  • \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t write a book because I\u2019m not an expert.\u201d<\/li>\n
  • \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t change my habits because I don\u2019t have enough self-discipline.\u201d<\/li>\n
  • \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t because…\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    I think if you actually spent enough time sitting on an idea, you\u2019d realize that a lot of reflexive excuses aren\u2019t substantial.\u00c2\u00a0 An online business has low capital requirements and you gain experience while you build it.\u00c2\u00a0 Strangers are often friendly, if they don\u2019t want to say \u201chi\u201d, then they are being rude.\u00c2\u00a0 Books make people experts, you don\u2019t need a PhD to start doing your own research and start sharing your ideas.<\/p>\n

    Getting Away With Gumption<\/h2>\n

    When I went up to talk to complete strangers out of my income bracket at the gala dinner, I made a realization.\u00c2\u00a0 People will forgive you for gumption.\u00c2\u00a0 They may tell you that you can\u2019t do something, but they rarely provide a good reason.\u00c2\u00a0 You may be too bold, precocious or idealistic.\u00c2\u00a0 But, I\u2019d rather be remembered as the person who had the gumption to say hi, than forgotten forever as the person who did nothing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    I love the word \u201cgumption\u201d.\u00c2\u00a0 I like finding words that cram a lot of ideas into a small space.\u00c2\u00a0 Gumption is closely related to boldness or courage, but it also relates more to enthusiasm than simply being able to overcome your fears.\u00c2\u00a0 I think having gumption is important, and it\u2019s something you can possess without […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[9,681],"tags":[146,145,669,97,144,25,39],"class_list":{"0":"post-802","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-courage","7":"category-nc-mindset","8":"tag-bold","9":"tag-boldness","10":"tag-courage","11":"tag-enthusiasm","12":"tag-gumption","13":"tag-motivation","14":"tag-social","15":"entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nGumption - 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