Why We Should All Be Obsessed With Perseverance
When you encounter a difficult situation, do you keep trying or do you give up? How about when things don’t go as expected? Do you move on to something else when you hit a roadblock? How you respond to difficulties is related to perseverance.
Perseverance is the steady persistence in a course of action, in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. Research has proven that perseverance is the single most important factor in achieving success. It is more important than IQ and is closely connected to follow through.
Clear the Path to Getting What You Want
We should all obsess over perseverance because it helps us overcome the hard stuff and get to what we want. Without it, you won’t get far in life. To persevere in something, you must fight against past bad experiences and try it again differently, until it does work. When you learn to persevere, you will learn that you can accomplish amazing endeavors as long as you keep working at them.
Sara Bristoll, a Phoenix area resident, shares how she persevered through the challenge of attending ASU. “For me, I set a goal. I wanted to get my degree over with because I had it in my head that I could start my career.” She was working full-time at a bank while finishing her education. She offers some tips for handling the pressure: “Set a schedule for getting everything done and follow through.”
As with many things, planning and time management were useful tools in helping her reach her goal of finishing school. “I use the calendar, notes, and task apps built into my iPhone to manage my and my family’s lives,” she says, “Also —don’t be afraid to build time out for yourself or whatever it is you need to recharge.” After her consistent effort to finish school, Sara got her Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from ASU’s WP Carey School of Business.
You Can Build Perseverance
Contrary to what some might think, perseverance is something that you can gain. It starts with one action followed by many others, each bringing you closer to your goal. This process takes time. It’s almost never going to give you a feeling of instant gratification, but the rewards can be huge.
For example, Bristoll’s husband started and stopped his education before completely committing to it. He attended school while working a full-time job, caring for a child, and dealing with a major illness. Despite the hardships he faced, he remained committed to finishing school. He eventually graduated at 30 years old with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration.
If You’re Not Building It, You’re Losing It
Building traits like perseverance is like building muscles. The more you use them, the stronger they get. You can become a person of perseverance, even if you don’t start out that way.
In the same way, everything you do in life either takes you toward your goals or away from them. When you take a step away from your goals, the harder it is to get back to them. Vince Lombardi said, “Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit.” So, the next time you have a mountain to climb, flex your muscle! Resist the temptation to give up. Persevere and change the world!
Sources
Beyond Passion and Perseverance: Review and Future Research Initiatives on the Science of Grit
Grit: The power of passion and perseverance