Are You Persistent?
Being Persistent Will Pay Off
I can’t count on my fingers and toes how many times I’ve started to do something, run into a challenge, but kept doggedly going regardless of the difficulties or opposition. I’m sure that’s happened to you, too!
And, for the most part, we’re the better because of it.
The power of persistence can mean getting your dream job and working a job you hate. It can mean being in a happy, fulfilling relationship and being lonely or miserable.
As the saying goes: “Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.”
Having that type of willpower can be a great incentive to push harder and strive for more. It’s what gets you up after defeat or failure. That sense of resolution that helps you forge new paths on your road to success — that’s the power of persistence!
The 30th president of the US, Calvin Coolidge, described it best. In his 1932 speech, he said, “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not…Genius will not…Education will not…Persistence and determination are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”
Can We Define Persistence?
In the Merriam-Webster dictionary, persistence is defined as “the act or fact of not giving up or letting go.” It’s the ability to continue trying even against difficult times or opposition.
In other words, when you persevere, you keep going even when the odds are stacked against you. No matter what!
It’s no wonder, then, that persistence is the distinguishing factor that defines whether an outcome will be successful or not.
However, some people aren’t born with that fire in their bellies. So, they either give up or don’t bother putting in the effort. Then, there’s the other group of people who pay close attention. Then, they work hard and assimilate everything they’ve learned.
It’s the first group we need to worry about. Those who don’t even try or give up too soon are selling themselves and their communities short.
So, to sum up: without persistence, we get two groups of people: the successful and the not-so-successful. You have to decide which group you want to be in. that’s when your journey truly begins.
Can Persistence Be Learned?
Yes!
Persistence is an acquired skill.
Experts refer to these as soft skills like communication and problem-solving. It can be taught to help you manage interpersonal relationships with others. When you have the right amount of grit, you can succeed both in and out of the workplace.
Knowing that persistence can be learned is the easy part. The hard part is practicing it every single day until you’ve fine-tuned and perfected it.
Thomas Edison is credited with thousands of inventions and discoveries. Yet, he’s the first to point out that he failed more times than he can remember. He’s proud of his failures and calls them his “just as valuable to me as the positive results.”
He went on to say, “Most of life’s failures are people who didn’t realize how close they were to success before they gave up.”
This means they either didn’t have a purpose or they had no stamina. Because, without an aim to strive for, persistence is of no use, and the opposite is also true.
You have to admit, though, that even with a purpose, staying strong can be hard! But, the flip side is that all major successes in your life will taste that much sweeter when you’ve put in the effort.
If you want to learn how to be more persistent, here are four goals to consider:
- Set a specific goal
- Break down that goal into small chunks that you can do one at a time.
- Set a specific time, and length of time, in the day that you will pursue that goal.
- Use a sticky pad to jot down one phrase reminders, and stick them up where you will see them.
Bill Bradley says, “Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.” So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and find yourself a means of transportation that’ll help you persevere and keep going!
Why It’s Important To Develop Persistence
We’ve all been there. You start something new and you’re enjoying it. Then, out of the blue, something gets in your way and you fumble.
That’s when you have two clear choices: keep going or give up. So, what do you do?
Let’s be clear about something; there’s nothing easier than giving up. Many times, what we know is better than what we don’t. It’s safe, more familiar, despite causing us frequent disappointments in our lives.
Staying where it’s comfortable and safe is, for some people, less stressful. They prefer not to shake things up.
Unfortunately, it can get pretty stifling if you stay confined to your comfort zone. All you’ll reap later on down the road is low self-esteem, failure, regret, and heartache — it’s a pretty long list.
The alternative is getting up even though you don’t want to and standing up against the odds. Then, after a bit of hard work, you start to feel good about yourself.
You can look at your accomplishments and be proud of how far you’ve come. People will come to realize that your aspirations weren’t just daydreaming out loud. You put in the effort and made it through all the challenges and hard times.
According to Dale Carnegie, “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”
You’re probably thinking that it sounds too good to be true. Everyone thinks that at first.
Then, they take their first actionable step and never look back.
Being persistent means putting one foot in front of the other, no matter what!
“Whoever knocks persistently, ends by entering.” — Muhammad Ali
This article was originally published on my site at https://donnapresents.com/are-you-persistent/.
Meditation is a habit that may come easily to some. I have been meditating for over five years, but there were many days I found myself slipping. These days, not so much, not since I completed the no-cost Action Habits Challenge by Connie Ragen Green, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, independent publisher, and serial entrepreneur. You can check it out here.
If you’re interested in revitalizing your life through meditation and would like to learn a virtually risk-free, and cost-effective practice, that people of all ages can do with a little patience and guidance and that will serve you for the rest of your life, I would love to connect with you. You can connect with me here.
I’m Donna SLam, who loves to blog about how meditation brings self-compassion, peace of mind, and clarity to my life and others by sharing tips and strategies on how to live a fulling and purposeful life. I enjoy championing others to lead a healthy and happy life through meditation, walking, self-development, and spending time with loved ones.
