Perseverance of effort and consistency of interest for entrepreneurial career success

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of grit (consistency of interest and perseverance of effort) on entrepreneurial career success (career satisfaction, perceived career achievement and perceived financial attainment) through the role of resilience. Design/methodology/approach The study was cross-sectional, and the data were collected using questionnaires from 111 entrepreneurs in Nigeria who have been in business for over five years and were selected using purposive sampling technique. The study used Smart-PLS to assess the measurement and structural model. Findings The perseverance of effort was related to all the aspects of career success as well as resilience. But consistency of interest was positively related to only perceived financial attainment. It also predicted resilience. Resilience was also related to all the facets of career success. All three mediation hypotheses were supported. Research limitations/implications The study delivered fascinating understandings into the structures of grit. The Western conceptualisation of grit may not be valid in a collectivist society where consistency is not that very much considered. Practical implications The study helps to further validate grit in the entrepreneurship field; the construct is a facilitator of entrepreneurial action and an indispensable source of energy that can revitalise the entrepreneur along the arduous road to success. Originality/value The two components of grit can have a dissimilar influence on different outcomes – as prior investigations, although recognising that the two components are conceptually dissimilar, have rarely studied them so empirically.

Entrepreneurial Profiles at the University: A Competence Approach

“…(8) Perseverance of effort. Ability to persevere and sustain efforts to achieve intended objectives even when hardships or setbacks occur (Salisu et al, 2020). Along with consistency of interest (see below) it represents one of the two dimensions of grit, a psychological concept that is positively correlated with success and the achievement of long-term objectives (Duckworth et al, 2007).…”

“…It is linked to the competence of perseverance described by Morris et al (2013), and positively connected to entrepreneurial sucess. It is positively related to entrepreneurial success in that a persevering attitude is required to face the difficulties and obstacles related to the creation and development of ventures (Mooradian et al, 2016;Salisu et al, 2020).…”

“…(10) Consistency of interest. Ability to stay focused and passionate over a long period of time by performing a particular task without changing interest or goals (Salisu et al, 2020). Along with perseverance of effort, this is the other of the two dimensions of grit (Duckworth et al, 2007;Arco-Tirado et al, 2018), and it is again related to the perseverance described by Morris et al (2013).…”

“…(12) Resilience. Ability to adapt to environmental changes in situations of threat, adversity, tragedy, trauma, or stress whilst maintaining a positive mindset (Salisu et al, 2020). It is related to the ability to transform a situation of adversity into an enjoyable challenge (Greitens, 2015), and is an important competence both for the entrepreneurial initiative and for the sustainability of ventures over time, determining entrepreneurial success (Fisher et al, 2016).…”

Examining Perceived Entrepreneurial Stress: A Causal Interpretation through Cross-Lagged Panel Study

“…Kamal and Daoud [80] found that self-efficacy is a crucial factor that helps reduce the fear of failure. Similarly, Salisu [81] and Reivich and Shatté [82] found that resilience is a vital resource for entrepreneurs' success in emerging markets. Furthermore, resourcefulness is theorized to form a nomological component of this construct [83,84].…”