Hanging on for the Long Haul
Once we start building resilience, we can move forward into perseverance. Perseverance is the character trait that allows us to keep on moving forward with our goals and dreams in spite of setbacks. Perseverance pushes onward in spite of the voices, both internal and external, that want to bully us into giving up. And like resilience, it can be built up through the consistent application of principles.
Perseverance requires 3 ingredients to be effective.
- Vision: “Without vision the people perish”. Our dreams and goals require a vision and passion larger than ourselves We must cultivate the habit of focusing on our dreams and not forgetting why we started in the first place. When the going gets tough, we can return to this vision to keep us motivated and moving forward.
- Commitment: It is very easy to get all fired up and set a goal of running 2 miles a day. It is a different thing to keep that commitment in the middle of a typhoon. Next time you think you are facing a real challenge in following through on your commitments, remember this story, and do what it takes to make it happen.
- Patience: Success rarely comes in great bursts, but is built up by constantly returning to your commitment and vision. One day you will wake up and realize that you have made great strides toward your goals. If you throw in the towel too early, you will never know what you are capable of. Be patient, grasshopper, and you will be successful.
No one succeeds without effort… Those who succeed owe their success to perseverance.
–Ramana Maharshi
