Persistence

It was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who said

“The heights by great men reached and kept
Were not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upward in the night.”

Here are some thoughts on persistence and how it contributes to success…

There are lot’s of ingredients that contribute to success but nothing is more vital than determination and persistence. Talent and education is great but the world is full of unsuccessful educated people with immense talent. The single most important factor in determining whether you will achieve your goals is the discipline and persistence to stay the course.

Margaret Thatcher, the former British Prime Minister, is quoted as saying her father taught her that the world is full of ‘starters’, but only a few are ‘finishers’.

Staying the course does not mean there is no room for purposefully reviewing the goals or modifying them; what is important is to press on and not give up. What is not okay is to drift away from your plans due to a lack of persistence, determination , and self-discipline. Drifting is failure.

These ideas will help you stay focused on your goals until you succeed:

Write your goals down and read them every day

The simple act of writing your goals down helps to remember, refine and stay focused on these every day.

Razor sharp vision

Visualizing what you want to achieve is a powerful motivational factor in continuing your efforts. The more vivid the visualization, the better it is.

Take action

Just dreaming and visualizing is not enough. Take some action each and every day, even if it is a small one, to move in the direction of your goal. These daily actions lead to some daily progress becoming a habit.

Review and assess

If you have a setback, or find yourself drifting, it could be time to change course, refine direction, or even change the goal. Analyze, correct but DON’T STOP.

When you fail

When you do, remember that much of what we set out to do doesn’t work. So what? This is not just you; it is part of the human condition. Mistakes provide clues so learn from those and move on.