“Energy and persistence conquer all things,” Benjamin Franklin, a fellow left-hander. “Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent,” Calvin Coolidge, former president of the United States.
I believe many would agree with those quotes. But can we can turn the cliches into a workable model for personal performance improvement?
What do you think of when you read the words energy and determination? The stamina to work long hours? The mental attitude to continue until you experience success?
What do you think of when you read the word persistence? The ability to endure over time? The ability to stay focused on a project or goal? Does it even imply a hint of consistency over time?
Here are some suggestions to get you thinking about it:
• What are examples in your life where you were very persistent? Can you think of both positive and negative examples? Are there positive examples of times when your persistence paid off? Or, times when you later realized your persistence was actually a reluctance to admit a poor decision or stubbornness?
• What are some examples of times in your life when you quit before realizing your goals? Did you ever feel later, if you’d only continued a little longer, you would have reached your goal and realized your dream?
• What are some areas of your life right now that you feel would benefit from consistent, focused, persistent effort? Think of each major area of your life. See if you can develop a list of where persistence would help you now, in each of those areas.
• Write a letter to yourself reminding you of times when your persistence misguided you and write the reasons why. List times when your persistence actually worked against you and your real intentions.
Keep this letter available and read it whenever you feel your momentum toward your goals has slowed or stopped. Make sure that you have not gotten in your own way.
• Keep a copy of the above quotes on your desk, both at work and at home. Post a copy of them on the refrigerator or near the phone. Place them wherever you’ll see them. Read them often and allow their inspiration to motivate you.
• Finally, have clear dreams and aspirations. Know specifically what you want. Have a systematic plan to realize those goals and dreams. Then, I’ve found that the persistence takes care of itself.
Tim O’Brien writes continuing-education courses and presents seminars on stress management.
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