When I was coaching, I was always struck by what really made the difference between the average swimmer and the champion swimmer. Often, believe it or not, talent was not the determining factor. Certainly, talent played a role, but often the real issue was just how persistent and determined a swimmer was. I can remember many athletes who did not have the very top level talent, but who fought harder, worked longer and had a more positive attitude than their competitors. In the end, those athletes not only swam faster, but they had a more upbeat outlook on their future as both a swimmer and a person.
The Power of Persistence is that as we continue to hammer away at an issue, we can achieve great results. Far too often, we explode into a situation, but as time sets in, we get weary and we bail. Rather than building a determination to stay the course as long as it takes, if we don’t see incredible results immediately, we start to doubt ourselves and quit.
A parable on this point tells the story of a two men, one older and one young, who had to break open a large rock. The young man, obviously stronger, started hammering with all his might, yet the rock did not budge. Swinging wildly, with enthusiasm, he was hitting the rock in several places hoping to crack the rock first. However, before long, he was exhausted and frustrated to the point that he sat down, defeated. Meanwhile, the older man had slowly but surely kept a steady pace. He had carefully kept up hitting the rock at the same spot. After the young man had quit in disgust, the older man kept up a steady pace. He wasn’t hitting the rock harder than the young man, but the rhythm was sure. After some time, with the young man muttering and angrily urging the older man to quit, saying there was no way the rock could be broken, a crack began to show. With only a few more swings, the rock had broken in two. The younger man could not believe it and said so loudly. “How did your slow, weak swing, break that rock open?” The older man replied, “It wasn’t the last swing that cracked the rock, but the previous 99 hits on the same spot that did the trick.”
My wife used to run her own “at home” business (actually 2 different ones) and is a leader of other women. She has been involved in home-based work for over a decade. In that time, she has had many other aspiring leaders get involved, many brought in by the thought of this being a steady stream of income. Unfortunately, many do not last through a full year. The reason is easy to see; they buy into a myth that simply by starting, business and income will come their way. Yet, though my wife does everything possible to dispel the myth and clearly communicate that this is a real job demanding real work, most of her new recruits miss it. Rather than accepting the fact that they are the owner and the success will fall on their shoulders, based on how much effort they put in OVER THE LONG HAUL, most will work hard for a short period, but then their effort will wane.
Again and again, the story remains the same. To make your life a success, you must tap into the power of persistence. You will not “crack the rock” on the first try; you may not do so on the 10th try or the 50th, but you can be sure that success will come to those who persist in their efforts.
Do this—consider the things you are involved in, whether work, a hobby, a dream, school, a relationship or something else. Are you taking the “slow and steady” approach? Are you determined to last over time? You must if you plan on hitting the path of true success.
Yes, you will face set-backs. Yes, sometimes, it best to come to the conclusion to try a different path, pursue a different dream. Yes, how we define success plays a crucial and critical role. Yet in the end, only the persistent will overcome.
If you find your persistence waning, go back to the beginning. Go back to the dream. What brought you to this point in the first place? Consider what else is now in your life? Should you streamline and get back to basics so you can stay the course? Have you added something toxic to your life that is now hampering your efforts?
Become focused again. Stay true to your effort. Clear away the things that distract you or hold you back. Pick up the hammer and start swinging.