The Power of Persistence:
4 Steps to Reach Any Goal
By Valerie Greene
If you
had the power to see your future, and you discovered that you would
be victorious over all your challenges and living the life you
always dreamed, would you give up after encountering your first
setback? Of course not! You would persevere through any adversity,
knowing the wonderful outcome you would experience. Unfortunately,
no one really knows what the future holds. And when we’re in the
midst of a challenge, getting through it sometimes seems impossible.
So while few people start a task or endeavor expecting to give up,
we often do simply because we lose sight of what’s possible—of the
final victory.
Everyone’s life is like a large, round key ring, holding all the
keys to unlock the doors you want to open. You have many keys on
your key ring, but only one will unlock the door you seek. When you
become discouraged of trying key after key and not making any
progress, just realize that the next key could be the one that
unlocks the door.
Persistence means refusing to give up. Just when you’re ready to
give up, the next phone call, the next person you meet, or the next
step you take can be the one that leads to success. Remember that
everything changes every moment. So while we all get discouraged
from time to time, tell yourself that giving up is simply not an
option. You must always try one more time.
No
matter what you’re trying to accomplish, whether it’s recuperating
from a major illness, finding a new job, or looking for a new
romantic partner, having persistence can make all the difference.
Following are some tips to help you stay focused:
1.
Set a goal and have a plan: You won’t get very far if you
don’t know where you’re going. That’s why you need to identify the
ultimate end point you want to achieve. See the big picture in your
mind, and then write down that grand goal. If you’re a visual
person, find pictures in magazines that represent the goal you want
to achieve, cut them out, and paste them on a wall so you’ll see
them every day.
Once you
know what you want, you can determine the specific steps you need to
take to make that goal a reality. Be specific. For example, suppose
your goal is to get a new sales job. What specific steps do you need
to take to get that new job? Depending on your situation, you may
need to update your resume, buy a new suit, join some networking
groups, etc. So now rather than say, “I need to get a new job,”
which lacks clear direction, you can say, “Today I need to update my
resume; tomorrow I need to buy a suit.” Now you have specific action
steps that will get you to your goal. The more action steps you
take, the more progress you feel that you’re making, and the more
likely you are to persevere to the final outcome.
Whatever
goal you make, be sure it’s realistic yet a bit lofty. Why? Because
if you make a lofty goal and come shy of it, you’re still further
ahead than if you had made a smaller goal. Remember that few goals
are attained overnight, so be patient and take small steps.
2. Recognize your accomplishments: In order to keep your
motivation high and your perseverance going strong, honor the small
milestones you accomplish on your way towards your goal. Celebrate
key accomplishments by treating yourself to something special, such
as a nice dinner, a trip to the movies, or whatever helps you
realize that your accomplishment, no matter how small, is important.
Another
option is to track all your small accomplishments on a progress
board, much like how fundraising companies track how much money
they’ve brought in throughout the year. Display the board in a place
where you’ll see it often. That way when you feel your perseverance
waning, you can quickly remind yourself of how far you’ve come, and
that success is just around the corner.
3.
Set up a support network: You likely have friends and family
who constantly cheer you on and encourage you to reach your goals.
Identify these people in your life and make them a part of your
support network. Share with them everything you want to accomplish,
and ask them to hold you accountable for reaching your goals.
Why is a
support network so important to help you persevere? Because most
people give up too soon. We have so many things going against us,
such as tough competition in business and negative messages about
life in general coming at us from many different fronts. All that
negativity works against us and causes us to give up too soon.
That’s why everyone needs support systems. Even if you’re only able
to advance a little bit, share that with your support network so
they can congratulate you and help you stay true to what you
ultimately want to accomplish.
4. Make a commitment to yourself: Decide once and for all that
you will see this through to the end and that you will reach your
goal. Commitment comes from within. So commit with all your heart
and muster all your willpower to persevere, no matter what.
Remember, if you want something bad enough, you will find a
way to achieve it. Decide that you will make it and claim your
victory!
Press
On…And On…And On: We all have challenges to overcome. While
some people have what seem like bigger mountains to climb, all our
efforts are equally rewarding once we reach our goal. The human
spirit is powerful beyond comprehension. So decide to start taking
steps towards your goal, and soon you’ll be looking back at them and
admiring all you’ve accomplished. Whenever you feel like giving up,
just remember that it’s always darkest before dawn. Believe in
yourself, and never give up!
At
age 31, Valerie Greene was a healthy, athletic and successful
business owner until a massive stroke paralyzed the left side of her
body and left her unable to speak. Today she is sought out as a
national keynote speaker delivering a powerful story of courage,
determination and success. Valerie is the author of “Fire Within: A
True Story of Triumph over Tragedy,” and the soon to be published,
“Driven by Fire: Surviving a Massive Stroke.” For more information,
please visit
www.thefirewithin.net.
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