We give up too
easily. Time and time again stories can be heard from people who had all the
best intentions in the world of getting a project done or achieving a career or
personal goal only to later be stopped short of achievement because of a myriad
of factors. Granted, there will always
be times when surrender is the only option left, but it consistently, at least
in my opinion, is an option exercised too quickly. My argument is supported by an excellent,
recent, article in Inc. Magazine, titled, “Seven
Reasons Why People Give Up on Their
Goals Too Early.”
A lot of us have done
this before. We set out to get into
shape. We purchase a membership to a
health club and we embark on an effort to improve out physical condition or
lose weight. The initial stage amounts
to a bunch of sore muscle that don’t seem to go away with a few more trips to
the gym. So, we give up. ”I just can’t do this anymore”…..or
I’m getting nowhere fast”….”I don’t have time to spend a half an hour or an
hour working out” can be heard under our breath. Excuses come easily; achievement does not. So, no sooner did we begin our
self-improvement project then we abandon it, frustrated and dejected and
wondering why we ever had this hair-brained idea to begin with.
There is a word that starts with a “P” that can provide a
partial answer to this situation.
Perseverance: “Steadfast in doing something despite
difficulty or delay in achieving success,” according to Webster. To persevere, then, flies in the face of
what is commonplace in our society today, which is an expectation of almost
instantaneous and positive results.
There is a second “P” word worth mentioning that is equally useable when
we hit a roadblock.
Persistence: “continuing
firmly or obstinately in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition”
Most people like the
concept of getting it done quickly when it comes to attaining our goals and
reaching our objectives. They look for
the easy path. Rarely is that going to
happen which is why persistence and perseverance are critical components of
getting a project completed successfully. We have to maintain a mentality that
at times says, “No, is not “my final
answer.” It instead becomes an
opportunity for new ideas, new directions and new opportunities for success. These two words starting with “P” can be,
should be and will be critical in achieving goals set in our professional and
personal lives as well as those sought after achievements in our community
service lives.
More on this new direction in the next post. I
have to go to the gym now.
No comments:
Post a Comment