If there were a straight path to success, we would all be taking it. Somebody would have leaked the secret and everyone would find that back door. The secret would no longer be kept to a few in the know.
The fact is we are all sold a lie every day. We see success all around us and our brains get lulled into the celebration and result. The people you see from afar on TV, in magazines and in the news mesmerize us. Their success can make us believe they arrived because of some magic or connections. Many love the lie.
For the majority of cases, the magic was in their hard work and perseverance. They gave themselves the shot to become lucky. Unfortunately, most people quit early and never discover this. If I was told that I had to put in a thousand hours to achieve something I wanted, guess what? I would start working that first hour until I got the thousand hours done. I enjoy the process just as much as the reward. Here’s why:
- The Path Is Laden With Nuance. The things I have mastered and spent countless hours working in reveal all the tiny things that matter and create the fidelity which makes what is desirable come into vivid color. High quality and greatness are an aggregate of excellence found in discovery.
- The More I Work The Higher The Price. Every hour I put in, every failure I make along the way and every nuance I discover separates me from mediocrity. I know most people won’t pay the price.
- Habits Are Hard To Break. Perseverance creates new habits. Habits work both ways. Getting started on something can be hard; so can stopping something. Writing is easy for me. There are thousands of hours and a habit I can’t stop that is continually pulling me.
- The Last Five Percent Separates. Persevering has a long, arduous push towards something we want, whether health, wealth or achievement. Having 95% of success takes a bit of work. That last five percent is where relentless perseverance matters. Lots of work for little gain happen in this zone. Yet, it is precisely where the art occurs.
If you can see that most of achievement has a story of perseverance behind it, then the magic is in two things – hard work and time. Try and try again. Never give up, for if you do, then you rob yourself of your dreams. Perseverance is how winning is done.
Question: What successes can you attribute your perseverance to?
Very, very good article. In my experience, perseverance is the key to unlocking greater opportunities. Many people settle for the status quo because they opt out of the hard work of thinking, planning, re-inventing, and busting it 24/7. It appears that hope is their best strategy because it doesn’t require anything of you. I’d rather persevere using the skills and talent that I learn along the way from persevering. Thanks Don.