Persistence: Is Persistence An Important Part Of Success?

There are some people who have the ability or the skill to do something and yet, that is as far as it goes. And this is going to mean that they end up wasting what they have and it will always be a mystery as to what they could have achieved.

In other cases, there are going to be people who put in the work to achieve their goals but just before they reach their target, they stop. And this can be someone who is full of ability or someone who isn’t.

So what is missing in the first example is taking action in general and in the second example, it is consistent action. When one doesn’t take action, it won’t matter how capable they are, as nothing is going to happen. And if one doesn’t take consistent action, it still won’t matter how capable they are, as they are not going to hang in there until the end.

Ups And Downs

If life was always straight forward and there were no ups and downs, it would be a lot easier. But the downside to this is that it would soon become boring and one wouldn’t grow as much. Life would be something that one has sussed out and then they are no longer going to be challenged or stretched in any way.

And without the pressure that these ups and downs create, one would begin to regress; for it is the pressure and the tension that enables one to growth. Just like a how muscles need tension in order to grow; without this tension, they will soon disappear.

Set Backs

At times, one will find that they are able to progress without too many challenges arising; it is then relatively easy for them to achieve something. Then there will be others times, where they will be faced with all kinds of challenges.

Part of them may want to ‘throw the towel in’ and simply give up. Especially if this is a challenge that appears out of nowhere and makes them question themselves. This could relate to if they are doing the right thing or if it’s even possible to achieve what they want to achieve.

One Option

So one could give up and do something else and if what they were doing was not that important to them, then this might be the best option. And this is something one will have to decide for themselves.

Other people will might be able to advise them or to offer suggestions, but they can do much else. One will have to reflect on what truly matters to them and this may mean that letting go of what they were working towards if the best option.

Digging Deep

If one decides that what they are doing is the right thing, then it is going to be important for them to keep going. This will be a time to get in touch with what matters to them and to imagine how it will feel if they were unable to fill their goals.

One is then going to realise that it is not something they can just walk away from; it is something they have to achieve. It then won’t matter what other people say or what they come up against, as their inner vision is going to be far stronger than any external obstacle that they come up against.

Adaptability

This doesn’t mean that one keeps going without being open to feedback or new information though. What it means is that one is willing to do whatever it takes, no matter what they come up against.

At times it will be important for them to change course and to adapt in some way. Just like how when a road is closed, one will have to drive through a different route to get to the same location.

One wouldn’t resist this change; they would simply drive along the new route.  And while ones goal is generally going to stay the same, there is always the chance that the process of achieve that goal will change.

A Metaphor

If one was to run out of fuel, it wouldn’t matter what route was available as they wouldn’t be able to take it. They could have the greatest car on the earth and yet, it won’t make any difference.

Once they have the fuel, it won’t necessarily matter what car they have, as they will have what they need to move forward. And this is what persistence is, it is the fuel that one needs to move towards their goals.

The car relates to one’s ability and while having a brand new car can make a journey more pleasurable; if the car has no fuel, it won’t matter. So if one has the ability to achieve something but doesn’t use it, it is not going to matter.

Persistence

This is why persistence and not ability is what matters. As long as one keeps going and is willing to adapt, they are not going to achieve what they want to achieve. External support is also going to be important at each stage and during those moments when one is on the ropes, so to speak.

No one is their own island and we all need other people’s assistance. It might just be a short chat or a few words of support and one is then back on track. What matters is that one reaches out when they need to and doesn’t give up.

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Oliver J R Cooper
http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/