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HOW TO DEVELOP PERSISTENCE

December 3rd, 2009 · 25 Comments · Habits, Productivity

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Lack of persistence is probably one of the greatest causes of failure. You may be talented but if you are not persistent enough to use what you’ve learned you are setting yourself up for failure. Good Luck is with those who persevere. Success is with those who are willing to fight. You have to make an effort in order to reap a harvest; you can’t just expect the fruit to fall into your lap. But, if persistence is not one of your virtues don’t worry, because I will show you how to be steadfast in your commitment to succeed.

1. Persistence can be learned

Persistence is a skill, and you can improve this skill just with practice. So, if you put effort into improving it you will eventually become a persistent person.

2. You need a defined purpose

You need a purpose to work toward, you need a goal in sight. If you are putting effort every day on being persistent you have to know what you want to achieve. Every task has to be focused on your main goal. Your mind needs direction, clarity and focus in order to get the work done. Besides, thinking about your goal you can gain extra motivation. Imagine yourself achieving the goal. Visualize, and think about how you would feel after achieving it. With this simple exercise you will fill your soul with new energy to work hard for what you want.

3. You need to get and to stay motivated

If you are not motivated you will eventually give up. Here my 3 favorite tips to get and stay motivated:

  • Think about the reward you will get: When you feel like quitting you have to visualize yourself achieving the goal and being rewarded for it. Thinking about the rewards of attaining your goals will motivate you to work steadily toward them.
  • You need passion: Implementing the action habit and becoming a persistent person is hard work. You will have to put a lot of effort to acquire this habit. You have to work every single day even when you are not in the right mood. So, if you want to develop persistence you need to be motivated. The best way to be motivated is doing what you really love. When you do what you love you have passion for something and hard work becomes easier. You need a goal that inspires you because when you are motivated you don’t mind to take action.
  • Be inspired by other people’s stories: When you have a lack of motivation you can see what successful people is doing or what they did. Some interesting people with inspiring life stories: Beethoven, William Kamkwamba, Gary Vaynerchuk, Socrates, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Alexander the Great, Benjamin Franklin, and a long etc. There are hundreds of people with inspirational stories that can help you to stay motivated. You just have to choose one or some of them, think about what they did, and get inspired. If you are a blogger and you need an extra push to stay motivated, see what James Rich is doing on his blog.

4. You need a strategy or a plan

You need to design an effective strategy to achieve your goal. If you want to develop persistence you have to know what steps you have to take to achieve your objective. Why? Because when you have a clear direction your brain works faster and better; if your brain works well you will finish your task sooner, with less effort and with a better result, and then you will get rewarded for your productive work.

5. Don’t bang your head against the wall – Be flexible

But, if your strategy or method proves to be unsuccessful change it and try another approach to the problem. Why? Because if you are being unproductive, if you don’t get satisfactory results for your effort, you will get discouraged and you will give up. So, be flexible and don’t get stuck with an unproductive method. Keep trying new things until you finally succeed.

“Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragement, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak.”–Thomas Carlyle.

I will publish “How to Develop Persistence (Part II)” in the following days.

Stay tuned 🙂

Written by: David Cantone

My Twitter: @DavidCantone

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