“Failure does not mean that it’s the end of your world, that it’s the end of everything. Failure is actually a beautiful experience that we should be able to embrace.” 

 Emphasizing the ways failure may be used as an advantage to reassess oneself, Ms. Katrina Marie D. Vandenbroeck, Psy, CTRT motivated the students to look at failure as an “opportunity to strengthen themselves, to rise to the occasion, to be able to give more and do more.” 

 “When we fail, that is the best time for you to reevaluate yourself, to pick yourself up and figure out what to do with this failure. Will I just want to embrace and stay down or am I going to embrace this failure and learn about it? Failure gives us an opportunity to be real and true with ourselves,” she said. 

Vandenbroeck also mentioned the fundamental characteristics that a person with grit possesses, which includes being determined, adaptable, resilient, and robust.

She stressed that grit is essential in facing adversities. 

 “When we are adaptable, it means that we can be flexible because there are ways around a problem, and you just have to find a way because when we are flexible, there are so many ways we can get to that path,” she shared. 

Vadenbroeck added that one should be willing to take criticisms.

“If you want to achieve your goals, then you need to be willing to be strong and tough to be able to take whatever criticism or words thrown at you,” she said.

 In the context of education, she also underplays the role of intelligence and genetics in achieving a fulfilling life.

She highlighted that passion, perseverance, and hard work remain the critical determiners in one’s success. 

 “It’s not about intelligence… What will allow you to achieve success is how you persevere and how you allow your passion to drive you… Genetics may determine the starting line, but hard work is what determines the finish line,” Vandebroeck said. 

 Vandenbroeck further added that if a person wishes to measure his or her grit, he or she may visit https://angeladuckworth.com/grit-scale/. 

 The learning session entitled: “Grit & Resilience: How These Matter for Today’s Youth” was held last November 27 is a part of the Green Ribbon Campaign for Mental Health of the College Guidance Center of Ateneo de Davao University.

 As a part of the said campaign, the College Guidance Center will also be displaying a photo exhibit of the different faces of mental health that will initiate on December 2.