Do you know the definition of “perseverance,” Miss Melas? Continuing in a course of action… without regard to discouragement, opposition or previous failure.
– Hitch

Why Perseverance?
Even if we know what we want, we sometimes believe it is unattainable, that we don’t deserve it, that we’re not good enough or talented enough, or that we just don’t possess the right stuff to achieve our grand dreams. But, there is this undervalued and unassuming tactic called perseverance. Sometimes it is all I have, so I wanted to write about it.

You’ve likely heard stories like these.

• Steven Spielberg was denied admittance to USC three times as well as two film schools.
• JK Rowling was a single mom and completely broke when she wrote her first Harry Potter book. She was rejected by 7 publishers before someone took a chance on her.
• Stephen King received 60 rejection letters before making any money on his writing. 

Now, I have no idea if you have the talent to be the next Stephen King or JK Rowling, but the same thing that got them success is available to you… perseverance. There are countless more stories of people that overcome physical and emotional hardships, the kind that turn away ordinary mortals, to go on and accomplish greatness. My personal favorite are the stories of people overcoming adversity to accomplish physical victories, like completing an Ironman or running a marathon.

You Become More
These stories are inspiring, but they might be a bit hard to relate to. We look at the success of these great people and think, “that takes some unique talent.” And you’re right, their success does. Perseverance isn’t necessarily about the end result, though; it’s about the process. The process is what enables us to become something more than we are today.

You have some big goals or desires you’d like to see accomplished. Maybe they are something personal, something that seems a little intimidating or scary. Start by doing something small, something that doesn’t scare you. And then keep doing it, taking small but consistent steps. There will be challenges along the way, but by definition that is necessary for perseverance. At some point, you’ll have traveled far enough on the journey you’ll be able to look back and see that you’ve become more than you were. 

For me, the idea of creating a “personal brand” or developing a platform is kind of weird and intimidating for me, even though it is something I want to do. However, committing to sending a weekly email isn’t as big a deal. There are weeks where it is tough to find the time or come up with the material, but that’s when I can choose to persevere. I’m not sure where this is going to lead, but I know that it will be someplace new, if I persevere.

Sometimes when we think of big goals or dreams, we talk ourselves out of them before we start. You might have experienced that with your own ambitions. You wanted to do something, but thought to yourself, “I’m not talented enough to do that.” Psychologists refer to this as the fixed mindset (as opposed to the growth mindset). We’re often told that if we want something bad enough, we’ll keep working for it. But sometimes, you need to keep working at something enough to want it, to essentially change your mindset.One of the biggest perks of perseverance is that you can not fail at it. You can always pick yourself up and try again. When you do, you will be someplace new, some place you wouldn’t have been had you chosen to stop. 

You Learn
During my high school senior year, I was enrolled in Algebra 2. I hated the homework, started to fall behind, and basically decided to just give up. I stopped doing homework and ended up failing the class. I missed an opportunity when I gave up because even the less-glamorous things we do give us a chance to persevere. Two things you can learn from perseverance, regardless of the activity: how to feel good about yourself and what your true limits are. 

In life, we have to do things that don’t bring us any joy. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and grind through it. However, when you do, you should recognize how you feel after you’ve persevered. It might not be your greatest accomplishment, but my guess is you generally feel good. That positive feedback loop will help you persevere in other situations and all of these small victories add up to a successful and rewarding life. Start building that positive feedback into your brain now. 

I’m sure you’ve said, “I’m maxed out” or “I can’t go any further.” How many times have you said that and you know it is the absolute truth? For me, there are times I’ve been tired and worn out, but I bet I could have gone another round. If you haven’t seen the death crawl scene from Facing the Giants, I’ve included a link below. In that clip, Brock thinks maybe he could make it to the 50 yard line without someone on his back. Coach puts the blindfold on and a person on his back and he made it to the end zone. 

We put limits on ourselves all the time. For me, it was that I couldn’t do homework every night, so I never learned where my limit really was. When you persevere and tell yourself over and over: just one more time, one more step, one more attempt, you learn your true limits. Chances are, they are a lot higher than you think.

You Are Defined
They say if you’re trying to build a routine, such as working out in the mornings, you should state it as if it is true. So, instead of saying, “I try and work out in the morning,” say, “I work out every morning.” It is no different with your core values, which represent who you are or want to be. State them as if they are true and persevere in them. What you choose to do and never give up on will define who you are. 

Ultimately, perseverance allows you to accomplish more than you thought possible. It represents hope; anyone and everyone can choose to persevere. You can surpass your self-imposed limits and redefine your dreams through perseverance. Take a minute to reflect on some of your current aspirations and challenges. Are you tempted to give up on them? Can you take one more step? Try one more time? You don’t know how close the end is, so don’t give up now!

Make Monday awesome and we’ll see you next week!