“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent is rare; talent will never replace it. Unrewarded genius almost seems like a saying. Genius is not a virtue. Education is not a prerequisite; the world has many educated despotics. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” ―Calvin Coolidge, 30th US President
It takes time to accomplish anything. Preparing a great meal takes time. Great leaders all have failure stories. Their greatest life lesson was to not give up, to persevere and keep going. With their creativity and perseverance, they achieved what was impossible. Failures and setbacks didn’t stop them working toward their goals.
The myth of extraordinary people being successful because luck worked for them is false. These notions are false and unjust. People who are extraordinary make things happen. Their dedication to achieving their goals and making things happen is unstoppable. While most people will blame the circumstances for their failures, exceptional people take responsibility and work from what they have. John C. Maxwell once remarked, “Water boils at 212 degrees, but at 211 degrees, it is still just hot water. An increase of just one-half to one percent can be the difference in making a boiling pot of water into a steaming cauldron. One degree can create a full head of steam — enough power to move a train weighing tons. That one degree is usually momentum.”
People who are extraordinary have this momentum. Ordinary people can give up and despair when the water heats to 211 degrees. But extraordinary people are more persistent than that, persevering until victory.
Cultivating perseverance
Here are some tips that will help you cultivate perseverance:
- Focus on the long-term. These are your goals. You can save yourself from all the pains and frustrations in the current by dreaming a constructive vision.
- Be focused and clear about “what you are here for”. What makes you get up in the morning? Clear your vision of what you are looking to become. You can create your vision according to what you want. Flexibility and adaptability are key. Know when you should hold and fold. First, the teacher’s job is to instill a learning mindset among her students. The rest will follow once that is done.
- You must work hard and be smart. Keep your commitments consistent. Be persistent and seek out clues in the surrounding environment. Keep up with the times. Teachers cannot use a single pencil or pen when the world is changing. So that her students can compete, she must include in her pedagogy the ability to learn at the same level as others.
- Writing is a habit that can be cultivated. It will help you to improve your writing and increase your persistence. Each teacher keeps a record of the children’s progress and has a lesson-plan. If you are feeling frustrated or discouraged, you can look at your plan and see that there was progress. However, you need to work harder to get to where you want. This gives you hope for the future and inspires faith.
- Based on past experiences, try to anticipate the possible problems you may face.
Persistence and me
Like everyone else, I’ve had my fair share of difficult times. Every step I took to reach my goals was met with obstacles. Failure was rarely an easy road to success. My hard-earned money paid for three plots in Hyderabad, India, which I bought with 2006 dollars. The amount was small. Three plots were purchased in different areas and I planned to make a profit over the years. A friend’s brother helped me purchase the plots. The three plots were all under legal proceedings. In 2016, when I wanted to sell these plots to fund my younger son’s overseas education, I came to know that there was no land available physically for one of the plots.
It was a scam. I was cheated on even more plots. It was futile to find the perpetrator and resolve these issues. I had to struggle for 9 months to raise funds for my son’s overseas education.
My family comes from the lower middle class. Although I have a lot of knowledge, my pockets are very tight. These disputed property were difficult to sell. India has a long process of settling disputes. I attempted to negotiate with many people. For almost one year, I fought the negotiation. Finally I was able sell two of my plots at a loss. The third plot is not available. I tried to find a seller for it. The address he was listed in documents does not exist. This issue is still unresolved. These tough times made me realize that you should not blindly trust others.
But, these difficult times gave me the opportunity to learn perseverance and make my way stronger and more wiser. Tough times don’t last but tough individuals do. With a flashlight as a guide, they navigate their way through difficult situations.
It’s your turn!
Many leaders fail many times, but persevere to achieve their peak. You can see that many of their biographies contain interesting stories about failures and frustrations. Colin Powell observed, “Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence.” Never give up just because you have failed a few times. Sometimes the final key is what will unlock the doors to your success. Persistence is the sister of excellence. Persistence is the key to your success.
How to Develop Lifelong Persistence originally appeared on Addicted 2 Success.
How to Develop Lifelong Persistence originally appeared on Addicted 2 Success.