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Persistence! If we go by definition from Oxford Languages, persistence is ‘the fact of continuing in an opinion or course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition. With persistence, people achieve outstanding results in various fields of life and lack of it is the real enemy of not achieving those results.
Below insightful excerpt on PERSISTENCE is from ‘Think and Grow Rich’ by Napoleon Hill
Why Lack of Persistence?
Understand the real enemies which stand between you and noteworthy achievement. Here you will find not only the ‘symptoms’ indicating weakness of persistence but also the deeply seated subconscious causes of this weakness.
Study the list carefully, and face yourself squarely if you really wish to know who you are, and what are you capable of doing. These are the weaknesses that must be mastered by all who accumulate riches.
- Failure to recognize and to clearly define exactly what one wants.
- Procrastination, with or without cause.
- Lack of interest in acquiring specialized knowledge.
- Indecision, the habit of “passing the buck” on all occasions, instead of facing issues squarely..
- The habit of relying upon excuses instead of creating definite plans for the solution of problems.
- Self-satisfaction. There is but little remedy for this affliction, and no hope for those who suffer from it.
- Indifference usually reflected in one’s readiness to compromise on all occasions, rather than meet opposition and fight it.
- The habit of blaming others for one’s mistakes, and accepting unfavourable circumstances as being unavoidable.
- Weakness of desire, due to neglect in the choice of motives that impel action.
- Willingness, even eagerness, to quit at the first sign of defeat.
- Lack of organised plans, placed in writing where they may be analysed.
- The habit of neglecting to move on ideas, or to grasp opportunity when it presents itself.
- Wishing instead of willing.
- The habit of compromising with poverty instead of aiming at riches. The general absence of ambition to be, to do, and to own.
- Searching for all the short-cuts to riches, trying to get without giving a fair equivalent.
- Fear of criticism, failure to create plans and to put them into action, because of what other people will think, do or say. This enemy belongs at the head of the list, because it generally exists in one’s subconscious mind, where its presence is not recognized.
Fear of Criticism
Let us examine some of the symptoms of the Fear of Criticism. The majority of people permit relatives, friends, and the public at large to so influence them that they cannot live their own lives because they fear criticism. Millions of people neglect to acquire belated educations, after having left school, because they fear criticism.
Countless numbers of men and women, both young and old, permit relatives to wreck their lives in the name of duty because they fear criticism. (Duty does not require any person to submit to the destruction of his personal ambitions and the right to live his own life in his own way).
People refuse to take chances in business because they fear the criticism which may follow if they fail. The fear of criticism, in such cases, is stronger than the desire for success. Too many people refuse to set high goals for themselves, or even neglect to select a career, because they fear the criticism of relatives and ‘friends’ who may say “Don’t aim so high, people will think you are crazy.”
After having analysed thousands of people, the conclusion was that most ideas are stillborn, and need the breath of life injected into them through a definite plan of immediate action. The time to nurse an idea is at the time of its birth. Every minute it lives gives it a better chance of surviving. The fear of criticism is at the bottom of the destruction of most ideas which never reach the planning and action stage.
Favourable Breaks
Many people believe that material success is the result of favourable “breaks.” There is an element of ground for the belief, but those depending entirely upon luck, are nearly always disappointed because they overlook another important factor that must be present before one can be sure of success. It is the knowledge with which favourable “breaks” can be made to order.
During the depression, W. C. Fields, the comedian, lost all his money, and found himself without income, without a job, and his means of earning a living (variety show) no longer existed. Moreover, he was past sixty, when many men consider themselves “old.” He was so eager to stage a comeback that he offered to work without pay, in a new field (movies). In addition to his other troubles, he fell and injured his neck. To many that would have been the place to give up and quit. But Fields was persistent. He knew that if he carried on he would get the “breaks” sooner or later, and he did get them, but not by chance.
Eddie Cantor lost his money in the 1929 stock crash, but he still had his persistence and his courage. With these, plus two prominent eyes, he exploited himself back into an income of $10, 000 a week! Overall, if one has persistence, one can get along very well without many other qualities.
Way Ahead
The only “break” anyone can afford to rely upon is a self-made “break.” These come through the application of persistence. The starting point is the definiteness of purpose.
Examine the first hundred people you meet, ask them what they want most in life, and ninety-eight of them will not be able to tell you. If you press them for an answer, some will say—security, many will say—money, a few will say—happiness, others will say—fame and power, and still others will say—social recognition, ease of living etc., but none of them will be able to define these terms or give the slightest indication of a plan by which they hope to attain these vaguely expressed wishes. Riches do not respond to wishes. They respond only to definite plans, backed by definite desires, through constant persistence.
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” – Calvin Coolidge
