“Persistence is to the character of man as carbon is to steel.”
-Napoleon Hill
Ever wonder what the difference is between someone who is struggling and someone who has made it rich?
Unless you’re born rich, the question has probably crossed your mind. Most of us have thought about it at one point or another.
The answer, if you ask anyone who has gone from rags to riches or even moderate wealth to optimal success, is persistence. Persistence doesn’t just mean trying the same thing over and over again – I mean really you can only beat your head against the wall so many times before you pass out. Persistence means if at first you don’t succeed yada yada yada. You’re familiar with the phrase no doubt.
However persistence is more than continuing on your path for success. True persistence involved not just following a plan toward success but creating a plan and continuing to create your plan as circumstances and opportunities change and present themselves.
That means for true persistence to be possible you must also have a very strong desire to succeed and the willpower to make it happen. You must also be willing to set aside or conquer any fears and take action. Sitting down and merely hoping something will happen will not make it so. You must have both persistence in spirit and persistence in attitude.
Do You Have Persistence?
We like to think we’re persistent however many of us may lack the persistence we need to achieve our goals. It may be easy to be persistent when it comes to say negotiating that deal on a new car however being persistent to see your goals become a reality may be much more difficult. There are many reasons for this.
-It is of course easy to be persistent if the outcome is going to happen in the near future. However if you think or believe you will have to wait months or even years then persistence wanes.
-Persistence also wanes if you do not have a clear goal. It’s difficult to be persistent if you don’t know what you’re shooting for!
-If you find you’re procrastinating on achieving your goal then your desire to attain the goal may not be strong enough – it’s not the right goal for you.
-Persistence may wane if you’re in the wrong frame of mind – perhaps you’re back in the blaming or complaining mode. Switch gears and remember positive attitudes reap positive rewards. Like attracts like.
-Persistence may wane if you’re not willing to take action. This is typically a result of fear and possibly a lack of self confidence.
-Persistence also falters when you begin shooting for the ground instead of the stars. You begin accepting poverty or even mediocre success instead of believing that anything is possible.
“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in determination.”
-Tommy Lasorda
Developing Persistence
We’re all born with the innate belief that anything is possible however somewhere during the time we’re growing up many of us begin to lose that faith – that strength. There are the rare individuals who seem to let doubt and fear slip off of them like metaphorical oil off a duck’s back. However most of us let it creep in from time to time. We settle because we’ve let false beliefs and doubts enter our conscious.
The good news is that once you’re aware that you control your thoughts and therefore your success is determined solely by you, you can begin to refocus your energies to more productive thoughts and actions – you can begin to develop persistence.
Developing persistence is of course more than just changing how you think. Developing persistence begins with careful planning. You must know what you desire, know your strengths and weaknesses. Know your market and your competition and then you must have the fortitude to create a plan of action.
Persistence can also be forged and reinforced by surrounding yourself with like minded people. Whether you hire a coach, engage your family for support or join or create a master mind group, the people who you surround yourself with play a very important role in helping you to stay focused on your goal. Surround yourself with naysayer and you’ll begin to doubt. Surround yourself with a positive support system and you’ll feel more confident about attaining your goal.
Another way to develop persistence is to practice it. Create smaller goals, goals with a short time frame or perhaps a simpler outcome. They don’t need to be goals which are easily attainable but goals which feel more easily digestible. You can of course break down your large dream goal into smaller portions too.
As you attain each smaller goal you will begin to develop a pattern of success. You’ll begin to develop focus. And you’ll begin to create systems and strategies which work for you. It’s often easier for us to maintain a healthy and positive attitude when our goals don’t seem too lofty or ‘impossible.’ That being said, it’s important to remember that each smaller goal should be taking you closer to your ultimate goal.
For example, if your goal is to make $5 million dollars in 2009 and you attack it by shooting first to make $500K with your next product launch don’t forget to include in your plan how this smaller goal is going to help you attain your larger goal – in short don’t replace your ultimate goal with a smaller one. These are stepping stones not replacements.
As you look to create goals and to develop persistence remember that each new challenge and obstacle is a learning opportunity and a growth opportunity. Changing your perspective will go a long way toward helping you attain your ultimate success.
“Before success comes in any man’s life, he’s sure to meet with much temporary defeat and, perhaps some failures. When defeat overtakes a man, the easiest and the most logical thing to do is to quit. That’s exactly what the majority of men do.”
-Napoleon Hill
To Your Success!
Jeremy Gislason
SureFireWealth INC
SureFireWealth.com
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