Perseverance

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9. PERSERVERANCE

What is perseverance?

Perseverance is the persistence to keep doing something despite encountering difficulties or delays in achieving success: in other words, the ability to forge ahead in spite of obstacles. People who persevere show steadfastness in their activities despite how difficult or time-consuming it is to reach their goals.

Perseverance is an important value feeding into personal development and interpersonal relationships. In every relationship, project, activity, or task we encounter, conflicts arise. Perseverance, control, and an ability to shun apprehension regarding potential failures and mistakes are necessary to find a resolution and thus personally improve and grow.

Therefore, knowing and remaining aware of difficulties is essential to remain optimistic in difficult moments and exercise perseverance.

Why is perseverance important?

Many people think of perseverance as moving forward with a project despite obstacles that may arise, but this notion is incomplete because it also includes the ability and will to continue efforts—even amidst setbacks—to achieve a goal. When we persevere, we overcome fatigue and frustration to get closer to a dream or make a specific goal a reality. All our efforts are valid because we know the value of what we desire. People who persevere always finish what they start with determination and a strong will. This is a value highly recognised and appreciated in society. Anyone who sets a goal and fights against all odds to achieve it has what it takes to succeed. Persevering people know no limits; while everyone else sees a closed window, he or she sees a latent opportunity and works very hard to achieve a related goal. He or she can even devise a strategy to make the best use of these efforts. Perseverance is closely related to effort, will, fortitude, and patience. Therefore, with practice and strong conviction, this set of values can pull us through any difficult situation we face.

As the Scottish politician Walter Elliot once said, “Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another.”

How can you develop perseverance?

When you select an activity you want to persevere through, employ these simple, straightforward tips:

Set a realistic goal

Spend some time thinking about the precise results you wish to achieve, being as specific as you can. Set a timeframe for achieving each step, placing your sights on a goal that is reasonably attainable.

Divide the goal into smaller parts

Break the goal down into specific tasks that each require a set amount of time to complete. For example, you can break a 1-hour goal into 15-minute segments. You can also divide a task into segments, such as organising a specific quantity of files each day.

Dedicate a set amount of time to the goal each day

You can even start by setting aside 5 minutes each day to work toward your goal. Then, increase this to 10 minutes in the second week, and so on. If you have a busy schedule, this will make working on the goal simply another part of your routine: boosting the chance you’ll follow through.