| Persistence is the ability to continue to get up no | | | | The value of persistence lies in maintaining your goal |
| matter how many times you've been knocked down. | | | | while re-positioning yourself to get there without |
| It requires will power, flexibility, strength of character, | | | | continually hitting your head against a brick wall. |
| determination and a desire to succeed at all costs. | | | | So, what can you do to maintain persistence? |
| Most people believe Richard Wagner became a great | | | | Here are 8 tips to help you persist so you can |
| composer because he was gifted. Not so. | | | | achieve all of your goals: |
| From a young age, Wagner liked the theater and | | | | 1. Maintain your Vision |
| music, but he disliked being on stage and was a slow | | | | Decide what you want out of life, and then work |
| learner at the piano. But his lack of talent was | | | | with a vision for the future. Keep your goal firmly |
| overcome by great persistence. | | | | planted in the front of your mind so that every |
| At the age of 15, Richard Wagner decided he | | | | action step you take will lead you closer to achieving |
| wanted to be a composer, so he checked a book | | | | what you want. |
| out of the library on the subject and memorized it. | | | | 2. View Setbacks as Life Lessons |
| To train his ear, he asked a violinist from the Leipzig | | | | Nobody achieves their goals with one straight shot at |
| Orchestra to teach him about keys and chords and | | | | the target. Understand there will be setbacks, failures |
| learnt the technique of every orchestral instrument | | | | and mistakes but don't let a negative or sideways |
| except the harp. | | | | step move you off the path. |
| As well, he studied the works of Beethoven to | | | | Mistakes are merely "life lessons" so view each |
| understand how to capture sounds and interpret | | | | backward or sideways step as an opportunity to |
| them as sheet music. | | | | learn. |
| But Wagner's early works were so bad he was | | | | 3. Act with Courage |
| jeered offstage. After one of his first performances, | | | | Don't allow fear of failure to stop you. As human |
| he was forced to escape by the rear doors to avoid | | | | beings, we all fail from time to time. It's the winners |
| an enraged audience. | | | | who get back up and start again. Act with courage |
| In his persistence to hone his musicianship, he studied | | | | and determination to achieve the things you want in |
| the works of Mozart and Bach line by line until he | | | | life. |
| could construct a lyrical phrase. | | | | 4. No doesn't mean always "No" (in a business |
| Over the next 5 years, Wagner continued to re-learn | | | | situation) |
| the basics, appearing as often as he could to | | | | There will always be those who will try to discourage |
| showcase the music he'd written. Following literally | | | | and dishearten you. There will also be those who say |
| hundreds of performances where he was jeered and | | | | "No". All you have to say is, NEXT! |
| heckled off stage, he gradually began to appreciate | | | | "No" isn't a personal affront. Nor does it mean "Stop". |
| what sounds his audiences liked to hear and write his | | | | "No" may simply mean "this doesn't suit me right |
| music accordingly. | | | | now" or "I'd rather do it a different way". |
| If Wagner had not been determined to create music | | | | If you hit a brick wall of "No's", simply back-track and |
| his audiences could appreciate, we would never have | | | | find a new and brighter path to travel to reach your |
| known such masterpieces as "Flight of the Valkyries". | | | | destination. |
| "Nothing in the world can take the place of | | | | 5. Exert Control over your Actions |
| Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common | | | | Make a conscious decision to make every step count. |
| than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; | | | | Keep your vision clear in your mind at all times so |
| unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will | | | | that your actions become a part of the process to |
| not; the world is full of educated derelicts. | | | | get you where you want to go. |
| Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. | | | | 6. Think Creatively and Be Flexible |
| The slogan "Press On" has solved and always will | | | | Often we become so fixed on the goal, we forget |
| solve the problems of the human race." - Calvin | | | | that other options exist. Be prepared for the fact |
| Coolidge | | | | that not only will the road to achieving your goals |
| If there was one common denominator that could be | | | | take a number of unexpected turns, the goal posts |
| applied to successful people, it would be persistence. | | | | may shift too. Allow yourself to stay flexible and |
| The brilliant minds, the great achievers, the magnetic | | | | understand that what you originally envisioned may |
| leaders of our generation and throughout history did | | | | alter to become a fresher, more realistic outcome. |
| not achieve their success at the start of their | | | | 7. Believe in Yourself |
| journey - they achieved it when their vision became | | | | Have faith in the fact you will achieve your goal, no |
| reality. | | | | matter what circumstances or situations arise. When |
| Persistence is about having a vision and working | | | | times get tough - and they usually will - keep your |
| towards that goal. | | | | focus clear and don't get bogged down in "I can't" or |
| However, if you study the path most visionaries | | | | "I won't". |
| have taken to achieve their goals, you'll discover that | | | | 8. Pick a Support Team |
| persistence lies in holding on to the vision, not on the | | | | You don't have to do it alone. Gather a team of |
| path they chose to achieve their vision. | | | | family and friends who you know you can count on |
| Persistence without purpose is useless. Dogged | | | | to offer your support and guidance when the going |
| determination to adhere to a plan that is not getting | | | | gets tough. There is nothing like a friendly pat on the |
| you to where you want to go IS NOT persistence. | | | | back to keep you going when you feel you've given |
| Being persistent means having the strength and | | | | as much as you have to give. |
| flexibility to stop and take stock when you become | | | | Which of these 8 tips will you apply or apply even |
| aware your efforts are not getting results. | | | | better in your life so you can achieve your goals? |