PERSEVERANCE

PRINCIPLES OF SUCCESS Series 33

PERSEVERANCE

Perseverance is one of the greatest qualities of successful people. Perseverance is holding on to one course of action and never giving up until success is achieved. Somebody said, “Perseverance is stubbornness with a purpose.”  It is doggedly getting the work done, and never quitting until it is done.

Understanding Failure. Failure is never final. To fail doesn’t make anybody is failure. People become failure when they stop trying. You might have failed, but if your refuse to give up, you’re not a failure. In fact, it is better to fail at something than to succeed at nothing. Failure is good – it gives you experience, and experience is a great teacher.

The key is to learn from our failures. Somebody said, “It is not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up again.” Learn to say, “I’m down, but not out.” Failure is only the first step towards something better.

Failure does not mean that nothing has been accomplished. It does mean an opportunity to do it again better. We all experience failures and mistakes. In fact, it has been said that “successful people always have more failures in their lives than average people do.” Those who do not expect anything are never disappointed; those who never try never fail. Somebody advised: “To become free from your past failures and mistakes, learn the lessons and forget the details.”

The Risk Factor. There is an element of risk in all of life endeavors. Anyone who wants to be successful must be willing to take risks. The wisdom is to take big risks on big ideas. Take big risk on important issues of life. Somebody said, “If you’re hunting rabbits in tiger country, you must keep your eyes peeled for tiger, but when you’re hunting tiger, you can ignore the rabbits.” There are plenty of tigers to go round; do not be distracted by the rabbits of life.

People who make great progress are those who take chances. Life is filled with risks; take one every day.

Risk is an element of faith. If you believe you can get it done, then you must be willing to take risk in order to do it. Any assignment that does not stretch your faith is not big enough for you.

Keep Sticking to it. Somebody said, “Success is like the stamp; its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing until it gets there.”  Success consist of getting up just one more time than you fall. It’s not over until it’s over; and it cannot be over until life itself is over.

The story of Abraham Lincoln is a classic example of perseverance.

Ø His business failed in 1831

Ø He didn’t win the legislature in 1832

Ø He failed again in business in 1834

Ø Refusing to give up, he won the legislature that year in 1834.

Ø He was defeated for speaker in 1838.

Ø He lost his dear wife in 1935, and had nervous breakdown in 1836.

Ø He was defeated again in another election in 1840.

Ø He had another defeat for the congress in 1843.

Ø He later won in 1846.

Ø He was not successful for the congress in 1848.

Ø He was defeated for the senate in 1855.

Ø He had another defeat in 1856, this time for the presidency.

Ø He didn’t win the senate in 1858.

Ø But he finally won the presidency in 1860. His final success reduced his failures to nothing.

Abraham Lincoln said something like this: “Success is moving from one failure to another failure and never giving up.”