Strength to persevere

This article was co-authored by

Paul Chernyak, LPC

. Paul Chernyak is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Chicago. He graduated from the American School of Professional Psychology in 2011.

There are 15 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

In this Article:Strengthening Your ResolveDealing with ObstaclesStaying ResilientCommunity Q&A15 References

What’s the key to perseverance? Putting one foot in front of the other will get you the finish line, but there are tools you can use to help you face down challenges, meet your goals and truly enjoy the process, rather than just getting by. Banishing self-doubt, living by your values and nourishing your spiritual side are just a few ways you can strengthen your resolve to keep moving forward.

Part 1 Strengthening Your Resolve

1. Know what you want.

   Maybe your goal is specific: you want to climb Mount Everest, stop smoking, or get a better job. Or maybe it’s more a more general goal to be a better family member or a happier person. Either way, the path toward meeting your goals will be more clear if you take the time to do some deep thinking and preparation.

   • Make sure your goal is SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.
   • If you have a specific goal in mind, plot out a course to help you reach it. Do research to find out what steps you need to take along the way. If it’s helpful, create a schedule that will help you meet your goal. Give yourself a deadline for each step along the way.
   • Whatever your goal, prepare to put in some time and work. Developing the mental strength to persevere takes a lot of practice, but you can start right now.
2. Get rid of self-doubt.

   The first hurdle you’re likely to encounter is correcting the state of your own self-confidence. It’s really difficult to make progress unless you believe you’re capable of persevering. No matter how unobtainable your goals may seem now, you have the intelligence and power to get there. If your goal is to overcome problems and face life’s troubles with grace, you can do that, too.

   • Don’t compare yourself to other people. Doing so will inevitably lead to self doubt. You have the power to persevere using your unique strengths and talents, and your process is going to be different from other people’s.
   • If there are things in your life that hurt your confidence, get rid of them. For example, if you tend to fall back on harmful habits like drinking, abusing drugs or eating only junk food, this will make it harder to see yourself as a person with the mental toughness to persevere. Take steps to end addictive behaviors and bad habits.
   • Spend time doing things you’re good at. Practicing your skills, like playing a sport, making art, cooking, reading, knitting, or gardening, is a great way to build up your confidence. Spend time doing things that make you feel satisfied and positive about life.
3. Practice staying cool.

   Getting hung up on stressful but small incidents takes a lot of energy – energy that could be going toward something more productive. Part of persevering is mastering the ability to let go of the little things. It’s a lot easier said than done, but you can start practicing right away. Next time you find yourself in a long line or a traffic jam, or you start to heat up over a silly comment someone made, practice staying chill using the following technique:

   • Think before speaking or acting. Give a few minutes to think it through before you do anything. Think about how small this issue is in the grand scheme of things.
   • While you’re thinking, feel the anger or irritation move through your body, then feel it subside.
   • Take five deep breaths. Breathe so that your stomach distends when you inhale, then pulls in when you exhale. Breathe in through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
   • Move on with your day, dealing with the situation in a cool and appropriate manner. If you’re in a line, wait patiently for your turn (and don’t berate the person working the desk when you get to the front). If someone made an annoying comment, respond with a smile and let it go. You have more important things to spend your energy on.
4. Don’t get dragged down by haters.

   As you walk the path toward your goal, or just work on persevering in daily life, you might encounter people who question you or tell you that you won’t get far. Don’t let it weigh you down. Realize that people are usually negative as a result of their own problems and issues they’re dealing with.

   • If the goal you’re trying to reach is a big one, like climbing Mount Everest, you’ll encounter people who tell you that you can’t do it. This is all par for the course. Have faith in yourself, and think ahead to the moment when you’ll be able to prove them wrong.
   • If there are people in your life who are particularly negative and seem bent on preventing you from achieving, it’s ok to either stop spending time with them or limit how much you see them.
5. Know your values.

   Having a good grasp of your own personal values is how you figure out the best way forward in any given situation and keep you aimed toward your target. What are your core beliefs? What do you stand for, and how does that play out in your life? The answers to these questions don’t come easily, but with each life experience, you’ll get closer to understanding yourself and your view of the world. These things can also help:

   • Identify the times where you’re the happiest and the most fulfilled. You can easily determine what you value most based on the experiences.
   • Read up on a lot of different perspectives. Even if you feel very strongly about a certain issue, get the other side of the story. Gain as much knowledge as you can on subjects about which you care.
   • If you’re religious, delve deep into the teachings of your religion. Have conversations about ethics and morality.
   • Meditate. Explore your own mind and learn how to listen to your conscience.
6. Figure out if you’re enjoying life.

   Perseverance can mean putting in countless hours of excruciatingly difficult or boring work. However, in the knowledge that you’re putting in this time to meet your goals, life will have a predominantly positive tint. You’re not just

   getting through life, you’re making the most of it. If dread and resentment have creeped in, and you’re not enjoying the challenge anymore, you might want to change your tack.

   • Learn to enjoy the good and the bad on the journey of life.
   • This is not to say that life won’t sometimes be upsetting on the path to your goals. Over time you’ll recognize the difference between temporary frustration and longer-term negativity.
   • What tools do you have at your disposal to help yourself feel more positive? For example, you could make a weekly coffee or phone date with your best friend so you have someone to lend an ear when things are hard, or you could schedule time for a long run with your dog to give your mind time to relax.

Part 2 Dealing with Obstacles

1. Face reality.

   Having the ability to stare life’s challenges in the face is a big advantage, but it can be really difficult to do. When a big problem arises, it’s so much easier to ignore it, sugarcoat it, or put off making a decision. Practice seeing obstacles for what they are so you can figure out the best way around, over or through them.

   • Stay consistent when you’re faced with obstacles. You may lose motivation or you may question why you should keep going, but sticking with it will help guide you through any obstacle.
   • Be truthful with yourself. If you’ve strayed from the path toward your goal, own up to it. For example, if your goal is to become a published author, and you haven’t set aside time to write, face the facts instead of making excuses for yourself.
   • Don’t place blame where it doesn’t belong. You haven’t started your couch to 5k program because your boss gives you too much work, your kids have been keeping you up, or it’s too cold outside – does this sound like you? Remember the power you have to take action in your life, and use it to move forward, even if you have to start again at square 1.
   • Avoid escapism. Big problems can be temporarily eluded by turning to alcohol, TV, drugs, overeating, constant video game-playing – but only temporarily. If you find yourself putting things off until tomorrow because you’re too busy to face what matters, the problem will just fester in the meantime.
2. Weigh your options carefully.

   Making careful, reasoned decisions instead of rash ones will get you further, faster. Each time you encounter an obstacle, examine the issue from all angles before you take action. There’s always more than one way to handle a problem, and you want to figure out which path makes the most sense without taking any shortcuts.

   • Get advice from those with wisdom. Other people can be a huge help when it comes to making big decisions. If you know people who’ve been through it before, ask them how they handled the situation. Just remember to take other people’s advice with a grain of salt, especially if they’re somehow invested in the outcome.
   • It may also be helpful to have a few role models – people in your life, celebrities, religious figures – with values that align with yours. Asking yourself what those people would do in a given situation could help point you in the right direction.
3. Listen to your conscience.

   It’s the ultimate deciding factor. What do you believe is the right thing to do? Acting with your conscience as your guide is always the best decision, even if it brings about an apparent setback. When you act according to your conscience, you can be confident you did your very best. If doubt or confusion set in later, the knowledge that you acted according to your conscience will help you get through.

   • Sometimes the right path is clear, and other times it’s murky. Do what you need to do to see clearly, whether that’s meditating, going to a religious service, writing in a journal, or another activity that helps you sort through your thoughts.
4. Stand up for yourself.

   After you make a decision that you know is right, back it up with all you’ve got. Follow through in the face of criticism, hardship and self doubt. It takes courage to act on your beliefs, especially when they aren’t popular. But you can draw strength and confidence from the knowledge that you weighed the options carefully and acted based on your own steadfast beliefs.

5. Learn from your mistakes.

   You won’t always find your way on the first try. Wisdom is gained by making lots of mistakes and trying something different the next time around. Reflect on what happened and figure out what you can take away from the experience, then apply what you learned next time you have another obstacle to face down.

   • Even the strongest people have failures. Don’t fall into a pattern of beating yourself up when something goes wrong. Instead, plot a new strategy for pursuing your goal, knowing it’ll turn out differently next time.

Part 3 Staying Resilient

1. Keep your mind and body healthy.

   When your mind is cloudy and your body’s out of shape, it can be a lot harder to get through tough times and reach your goals. Taking daily measures to stay healthy will go a long way toward helping you persevere. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

   • Eat a wholesome diet. Make sure you’re getting plenty of nutritious, in-season vegetables and fruits. Eat whole grains, meat, and healthy fats. Try not to eat too many processed foods.
   • Get plenty of sleep. A full night’s sleep can make the difference between having a bad day and a great one. Get 7 to 8 hours nightly whenever possible.
   • Move your body. Whether you like walking, yoga, running, biking, swimming, or another activity, move around as much as you can. Exercise puts you in a good mood and keeps you in shape for whatever life may throw at you. Trying a regimen of exercising for 30 minutes daily is a great place to start.
2. Be part of a community.

   Surround yourself with people who know you and will support you as you work to meet your goals. Support other people, too, so you’re an integral part of your community. Be someone others can turn to, and don’t be shy to turn to them when you need help.

   • Be a dependable son, daughter, sibling, parent, and friend. Having close ties with family and friends will see you through the darkest times.
   • Get involved in the community where you live. Volunteering, taking classes, going to town hall meetings, and cheering on your local teams are all great ways to feel like you’re part of something bigger.
3. Keep things in perspective.

   Instead of just getting by minute to minute, day to day, take a longer view. Know that each trial will eventually pass, and do your best to get through it with grace and strength, so that you can be proud of how you performed later on, when you’re looking back. Understand that while your problems matter, they don’t matter more than other people’s. Gain a sense of how large the world is, and engage with it as much as you can.

   • Reading books and articles and following the news can help you stay connected and aware, and put things in perspective. Try to avoid negative news and social media.
   • Get out of your head and try to see things through other people’s eyes sometimes. Take your niece out for ice cream, or visit your elderly aunt in the nursing home.
4. Nourish your spirituality.

   Many people find that honing a sense of being part of something bigger is comforting and energizing. Having a spiritual life can help you find your purpose again when you don’t know where to turn.

   • If you’re religious, attend services regularly. If you pray, do it often.
   • Practice meditation and other forms of spiritual awareness.
   • Spend time in natural places, and let yourself experience the wonder of forests, oceans, rivers and open sky.
5. 

   Stay true to who you are. You’ll persevere if you continue aligning your actions with your values. When something about your life begins to feel wrong, make a change. Continue correcting your course until you meet your goal.

Community Q&A

Add New Question

• Question

  I’m learning a language. What should I do when I find it hard to focus?

  Paul Chernyak is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Chicago. He graduated from the American School of Professional Psychology in 2011.

  Licensed Professional Counselor

  Expert Answer

  Create a schedule that you can stick to consistently. It can be as simple as learning for only 30 minutes a day. This will help to stay consistent independent of how you feel.

• Question

  How do I stay motivated when everyone around me is doing better than I am?

  Paul Chernyak is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Chicago. He graduated from the American School of Professional Psychology in 2011.

  Licensed Professional Counselor

  Expert Answer

  Change your attitude and see it as an advantage that can help you instead of being jealous or inadequate. Try to learn from them. Look at what is working for them and try to apply it to yourself. Avoid comparison if possible. The only person you should be comparing yourself is to yourself.

• Question

  How can I persevere after getting a low grade on a test?

  J.T. STEENSEN

  Community Answer

  Have an honest reflection on why you received the low score. Did you study adequately to truly be prepared? Were you present for each class? Did you take good notes? Did you ask the teacher in class (or after) when you had questions? Your honest answers to these questions will be the starting point you need. Commit yourself to doing these things in the future. Your goal is not a better grade, but the knowledge that you did your absolute best.

• Question

  Why will applying perseverance to my life lead to success?

  There is one thing all winners and high achievers have in common: they did not give up. Life is not easy, and for most of us it’s not presented on a silver platter. So to get what you want, you have to keep going after it. Also, most life goals are not achieved in a single day, so there will be ups and downs between start and finish; that’s why perseverance, even in the face of adversity, leads to success.

• Question

  How can I persevere after being broken down by an abusive relationship?

  Reed bends in the storm, but it doesn’t break. First, if you haven’t already done so, end the relationship and exclude that person from your life. Take your time to heal and talk to someone you trust. Then, consider that you are alive, and simply to be alive is to persevere. Take it easy, see your friends, treat yourself to a restaurant or a city trip, and enjoy the sun. If necessary, find a therapist who can help you work through these feelings in a safe environment.

Unanswered Questions

• What is way to get rid from unnecessary sadness?

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Tips

• Seek advice from more experienced people, and others who have had success in your area.
• Winners never quit, and quitters never win
• Try to avoid naysayers. They will discourage you for the sake of discouragement.

Warnings

• Do not keep trying things that will damage you unless you have a clear path to improvement.

Article Info

FEATURED ARTICLE

This article was co-authored by Paul Chernyak, LPC. Paul Chernyak is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Chicago. He graduated from the American School of Professional Psychology in 2011.

Categories: Featured Articles | Persistence

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Español: perseverar, Deutsch: Durchhaltevermögen, Português: Ter Perseverança, Русский: стать решительным, Français: persévérer, 中文: 做到坚持不懈, Italiano: Perseverare

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Read these perseverance quotes for thoughts and reasons on why and how to persevere.To show perseverance means to keep going despite of difficulties and challenges.

“Skill comes from consistent and deliberate practice.” Shawn Allen, No Limits: How to learn anything in 24 hours
Encouraging Quotes   |     Consistency

“We sometimes need encouragement to continue, listen to those close to you, many times you will find advice to help you. Catherine Pulsifer
Words of Encouragement   |  

“Don’t give up in times of difficulty. Persevere on as there will be an end to these.” Edward Dunedin, Inspirational Quotes And Idioms On Life
Inspirational Quotes  |  

“Perseverance means that achieving a goal is not an ‘if’ possibility but, instead is a ‘definite’ passion. Byron Pulsifer, Achieving Goals
Inspirational Poems

To succeed in baseball, you must learn not how to avoid failure, but how to quickly bounce back from it – with optimism and perseverance. Darrin Donnelly, Relentless Optimism: How a Commitment to Positive Thinking Changes Everything
Sports   |     Commitment

“The affirmation of strong perseverance, of keeping at it, of continuous, undeviating effort, is bound to pay off ultimately ultimately if you have the inner compulsion to visualize and keep at it.” Dr. Norman Vincent Peale
Effort

“For those who actually researched leaders, the inventors, the financially successful, there is one secret found within them all. Don’t be disappointed. The secret is a simple one that we can all do if we put our mind to it. The secret – it is perseverance.” Catherine Pulsifer, Perseverance An Essay
Encouraging Poems

Football is like life, it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority. Vince Lombardi
Life   |     Respect  |     Dedication

“So, what does perseverance mean? It means that one possesses persistence, tenacity, determination, and staying power. This in turn means, when applied to a problem or issue that needs to be resolved, that the individual never gives up, never quits and never sees defeat until the problem, challenge, project, obstacle is resolved to a satisfactory level.” Byron Pulsifer, Problem Solving Skills
Wise

Perseverance is persistence “the prize of not giving up.” Jane Tedesco, Perseverance Doesn’t Mean Hope Has To Die
Quote of the Day Giving Up

Be of good cheer. Do not think of today’s failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourself a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles. Helen Keller
Graduation   |     Good Day Quotes

“In addition to the well-known people who had to persevere, there have been countless others whose names we do not know, but whose failures or mistakes became some of the best-known, best-selling products in the world today.” Joyce Meyer, Never Give Up!: Relentless Determination to Overcome Life’s Challenges
Quotes about Overcoming

“One day someone is going to come to you and ask how you did it. Because you were creative, because you persevered, because you persisted through the resistance, you will be able to hold your chin up and help someone else overcome.” David DeNotaris
Helping Others

Life can be filled with failures, but only those who don’t persevere adopt failure as the way it has to be. Byron Pulsifer
The Greeting Card That Woke Me Up

“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” Christopher Reeve
Trouble

“If I could develop one of his (Nelson Mandela) qualities in my life it would be perseverance because by his perseverance he accomplished amazing feats.” M.D. Jones, Nelson Mandela: Leader
Nelson Mandela Quotes   |     Accomplishment

“Like so many of the great moguls, Disney was a very complex man, imbued with an iron-like drive to succeed. A man of persistence and perseverance, he would push, prod and press those around him as he would himself.” Daniel Alef, Walt Disney: The Man Behind the Mouse
Walt Disney

“During difficult seasons we gain strength and learn to persevere.” Scott Gordon, Tough Times Cannot Last Forever: Getting Through Difficult Seasons
Knowledge   |  

“Persistence is the quality of winners. Successful people never, never give up.” Lynda Field, Weekend Life Coach
Persistence

To persevere means having the ability and the composure to hold back and wait for something to happen without feeling anxious, becoming irritated or panicked. Remi Duyile, Perseverance: Winning Key to your destiny
Stress

“Hanging on, persevering, WINNING Letting go, giving up easily, LOSING.” Catherine Pulsifer, The Difference Between Winning and Losing
Motivational Quotes

“Martin Luther King, Jr. left an indelible mark on the hearts of the American people by his perseverance and non-violent ways. Larry Berg Martin Luther King, Jr.: Life Lessons from the King Who Had a Dream
Martin Luther King Jr Quotes   |     Quotes on Life Lessons

“We all make mistakes, but the winner knows that success comes from perseverance: trying, failing, learning, and doing it again until he succeeds.” Judy Ford, Wonderful Ways to Love a Child
Mistake Quotes   |     Learning

“Don’t let yourself be intimidated by obstacles. When you persevere they will melt away.” lance dale, A Shot of Positivity: Overcoming Obstacles
Challenges   |     Inspirational Quotes for Kids

“There are many, many examples of people who have strived to succeed over and over again but always seemed to hit the proverbial brick wall. But, the beauty of a lot of these stories, real people stories, is that they continued to prevail where perseverance prevailed over resistance.” Catherine Pulsifer, Action Plan Template
Inspirational Stories

“It is perseverance which distinguishes the strong from the weak.” Author Unkown
Top Ten Perseverance Quotes   |     Strong

“Life is not easy for any of us. We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” Marie Curie
Confidence

“Part of life is understanding that real change and progress comes with dedicated perseverance but also realizing that challenges, obstacles and roadblocks will appear from time to time.” Robert Rivers, Happiness Is Possible
Change   |     Progress

There are none so blind as those who will not see and there are none so ignorant as those who don’t have the perseverance to learn. Ian Gibbs, The Sorites Principle: How to harness the power of perseverance
Personal Development

Accountability is the catalyst to accelerated change, robust employee engagement, intensified ownership, relentless perseverance, impeccable alignment, and it propels individuals, teams, and organizations to intoxicating heights of achievement and success. Mike Evans, Achieve with Accountability
Accountability   |     Organization

“Never despair, keep pushing on.” Sir Thomas Lipton
Famous Quotes

Have you ever wondered why some people never give up, no matter what obstacles come their way? The answer is, in a word, grit. The teacher that works late into the night researching new teaching methods to reach her most difficult students. The doctor who trains hour upon hour perfecting a new surgical technique that others have given up on. The athlete who throws hundreds of passes over and over until he gets it right. Despite the differences in their professions, one thing links them together: the passion and perseverance that they have for their calling. Angela Duckworth, Companion Reads Summary, Summary of Grit
Poems about Life

“Ardent interest, focused practice, and perseverance are pillars for the solid stone foundation of success.” Lee David Daniels, Grit for Kids
Focus   |     Practice  |     Willpower

“We must always keep in mind that whatever God charges us to do something, he always provides us with strength and perseverance to endure any bump in the road that might come.” Christopher Goodman, The Best Life Lessons, Inspirations And Quotes On Prayer, Love, Hope And Forgiveness From Joyce Meyer
God

“Having perseverance is all about being able to bounce back and keep moving forward.” Jason Scotts, Train Your Brain & Mental Strength
Moving Forward Quotes

“The key to achieving success is believing in yourself and having the strength and motivation to persevere.” Jane John-Nwankwo, Success Is For The Ready
Believe In Yourself

“Sometimes luck can be that driving force that catapults your life into a storm of success along with hard work, dedication and perseverance.” Zak Frazer, Mastering Motivation
Luck

“When we choose faith over fear, trusting that God can make a way where there is no way, we can persevere through the changing seasons of life.” Candy Paull, The Heart of Abundance
Faith

“You must keep at it, someday soon your perseverance will reap rewards.” Domenico Mazza, How to Find Your Passion
Passion

“Throughout life we have often heard that ‘perseverance pays off’. It is no secret that each generation wishes to nurture and raise the next generation in a way that is greater than themselves. And to do this, elders often teach the values of hard work, focus, dedication and perseverance. James A. Dula, PhD
Teacher

“Perseverance was forged in the fires of your own determination. Its powers are activated when we ignore the negativity and keep working towards our goals.” Jake Smith, 10 Steps To A Happier Life
Determination

“So, hope is a combination of setting goals, having the tenacity and perseverance to pursue them, and believing in our own abilities.” Brené Brown, Daring Greatly
Hope Quotes

“Amidst life’s challenges, taking refuge in inspirational reading serves as a strong pillar that encourages perseverance, endurance and overcoming.” T Whitmore, Thinking Positive Daily
Growth

Perseverance is a behavior, a purposeful action to pursue a goal or task despite obstacles. Laila Sanguras, Grit in the Classroom
Action   |     Purpose

“In one word mental fortitude is grit, the ability to persevere and maintain passion for long-term goals.” James O’Donnell, How to Become Patient
Goals

The instances of men, in this and other countries, who, by dint of persevering application and energy … have raised themselves from the humblest ranks of industry to eminent positions of usefulness and influence in society … Samuel Smiles, Self Help with Illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance
Influence

“Being genuinely happy is something that take practice, perseverance, and patience.” Dr. Lauren Cunning, Hardwiring Happiness
Quotes about Being Happy

“Think about your capabilities, your strength, your perseverance, and your resilience. Give yourself a pat on the back.” Kate Anderson, 100 Positive Morning Thoughts
Resilience  |     Major Human Capacities

You gotta start it, get through the middle of it, the doldrums, and you finish it! Eric Thomas
Positive Attitude

“Quitting and blaming have become more common in today’s culture rather than perseverance and responsibility.” Dr. Rob Bell; Bill Parisi, Don’t “Should” On Your Kids
Blame

“Regardless of race, it is a far tougher journey from the jaws of poverty to the upper reaches of society, but with belief and perseverance, anything is possible.” Rose Marie Whiteside, As For Me And My House
Believe

Passion and perseverance, it turns out, matter more than talent or intelligence when it comes to being successful. For most of us, the corner office or professional kudos is the result of hard work, rather than exceptional genes. The endgame, it turns out, belongs to the truly diligent, not the merely talented. Linda Kaplan Thaler, Grit to Great
Work

“The three P’s Practice, perseverance and patience are the qualities you will need in order to become the author of your own story.” Robin Roberts, What do I do now
Patience

“Some things are kind of obvious when it comes to leadership. You have to be a great communicator, have very high integrity and have tremendous perseverance and stamina.” Suresh Basandra, Management and Leadership Questions and Answers
Leadership   |     Integrity   |     Communication

“Perseverance is what keeps your engine going, long after you run out of gas. It’s your crazy factor. It’s also known as hunger.” Anthony Frasier, Don’t Dumb Down Your Greatness
Funny Inspirational Quotes   |     Funny Poems

“By highlighting your past successes, you can gain a better understanding about existing qualities that you would like to preserve or expand upon.” Nathan Arthur, Mission Statement
Attitude

“God works all things for good to those who love Him and persevere through to victory.” Faith Marie Baczko, In His Image God
Love

“Perseverance is a necessary trait which is possessed by all successful students. Perseverance speaks to a refusal to give up the pursuit of a goal despite attendant difficulties.” Lisa Marie Stringer, 5 Rules to Persevering In Your Life
Never Quit

“Living a clutter-free life can be a challenging task. Decluttering your life, mind, work and home takes a lot of perseverance.” K. Collins, Declutter Your Home Effectively
Home

“The absolute worse thing to adopt is an attitude of defeatism that simply says that you are not capable of exacting perseverance to accomplish what is necessary and bow to the pessimistic attitudes of others who fail and quit. Failure is the best teacher but only if you know that failure leads to success and success is accomplished through perseverance and dedication.” Byron Pulsifer, Success Comes To Those Who Persevere
Failure

“Within each person there is a spark; a spark that only you can ignite. Your spark will allow you to see a future that is more rewarding, which leads you to setting a goal, which leads you to take action where perseverance is your secret weapon.” Catherine Pulsifer, Perseverance An Essay
Future

“Instead of viewing failure as the end, successful people persevere and try again.” Skip Powell, Success Habits 101
Success Quotes |

“Perseverance is defined as, ‘steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.’ Words that describe perseverance are: determinations, dedication, keep going. Catherine Pulsifer, Dreams Can Be Achieved
Achievement

If you dare to believe that God has something great in store for you to do, to accomplish, or to achieve, you must be prepared to persevere in spite of your setbacks and challenges. Cindy Trimm, PUSH: Persevere Until Success Happens Through Prayer
Dare

www.wow4u.com

Perseverance is a trait for people with success in mind. Perseverance is simply the ability to keep trying no matter how many failures you might have. By learning this trait you will eventually be able to be successful at anything you try.  Especially if you mix in the right attitude and a good healthy amount of self-confidence you will have the right formula for success. Even if you fail 100 times with enough perseverance you will continue to keep trying.

Some benefits of perseverance are:

• You will build more self-confidence
• You won’t give up easy
• It will eventually lead to more successes
• You will get more things done
• You will learn more
• You will develop more self-confidence
• You will have more experiences
• Failures will become less painful

When you persevere you are going to keep trying at all costs. Knowing sometimes that things won’t always work out the way you plan and that you will have failures. You will also learn that failures equal a great learning experience for you to make improvements. Once you entwine this into your personality you will find it easier and easier to not give up on anything you try.

When you succeed at things you will start to build up a healthy level of self-confidence. Each triumph no matter how small is still an accomplishment and each one brings more belief in your talents and abilities. As your talents and abilities develop you will have an easier time reaching your goals.

When you keep trying and growing you will be led into more situations and in turn have more life experiences. That is why perseverance is such a very important trait to have. Can you imagine having the ability to fail and still grow stronger? Or what happens if you succeed? Either way its a win win with perseverance.

Tips to Learn to help you learn perseverance:

• Keep trying and never give up
• Develop a high level of self-confidence
• Purposely try something you have failed before. Then keep trying until you succeed
• Don’t let anyone change your mind or bring you down. Always remember you have the ability to succeed no matter how many tries it takes
• Stay positive
• Learn to develop the right attitude
• Set long term and short term goals
• Be in an optimistic mindset
• Start out small and work your way up

Start out small if you have to and go from there. Take on a small task that you might have failed at before and keep trying until eventually you succeed. After you take on a small task work your way up from there into much more challenging tasks. Each thing that you do will build up your self-confidence and lead you to even more successes.

Always keep trying not matter what. When you fail you are just learning. Its all part of the process and it should be making you slowly improve until you reach a level needed for success. Don’t try to reach the moon starting out either. Even though it is possible to reach high goals you need to start out accomplishing the smaller ones. Don’t take this as failure just keep working on the larger ones on the side. Keep trying at all costs and remember sometimes it takes time to reach the big goals but ultimately it is up to you. The sky is the limit.

Staying positive is an important trait for almost any personal development you will do. Having a positive outlook on things keeps you in the optimistic mindset. When you have the right mindset going it will be easier for you to stay on track. Being thankful for the things you have right now is a great starter to getting into a positive mindset. Try thinking about the little things you have like a pair of socks. Sounds way to simple but you would be surprised how many people don’t even have that and live very positive lives. Once you realize how much you have then keep moving on for there. Be appreciative of even the smallest things people do for you. Work your way into a very optimistic outlook about everything.

Have you ever sat around to think what might have happen if you kept trying? Everyone has these moments and they are important to understanding that by perseverance you will be able to succeed at things you might normally have given up on. Don’t beat yourself up over the past live in the now. Make your next task one you aren’t going to give up on. Keep trying and trying. Failures will happen. Some of them might have happened to you at an early age in life and discouraged you from trying anymore but truthfully every single failure you have had doesn’t affect anything you will do right now or in the future. I’m 100% serious about this too. So what if you never learned to whistle and gave up. I’ll bet you that you can learn that right now even if you tried 1000 times before, it happens everyday. No matter what it is keep trying and eventually it will just click.

Once you fail at something you don’t need to keep trying it the exact same way that you have been. Try something different or change your approach. In order to make that success you need to do things just slightly different from the time you had failures. If you need to make changes start out with something small and if you still feel like you are way off just scrap your current strategy and start fresh. Sit down and make a list of the parts of your strategy that worked well and the ones that were a disaster. Keep the ones that worked out well for you and try to take the ones that didn’t and turn them into something that can work out for you next time. Take the time to research your task at hand and learn everything you can before trying again. Spend time making a plan and set some realistic goals. Before you might have just spent your time trying with no help. Ask for some help if you need it NOBODY is born an expert trust me.

If you have the opportunity to try something that you failed at in the past by all means try again if you get a chance. If you can challenge something from your past that you have failed at and give it another try and succeed you will boost your self-confidence levels tremendously. You will also have a better time developing your perseverance.

If you can manage to persevere you will eventually have success. I know everyone including you has the this ability in them. Don’t waste another moment. If you have something you want to get done do it now and NEVER EVER GIVE UP!

You can check out other articles in this series like Having the Right Attitude 

Author: daniel

My name is Daniel Branch, I am a life long learning enthusiast and strong believer in we shape our own reality. As I learn it helps me understand more to write about my experiences and life lessons. I love to teach and bring happiness to others by opening their eyes to great possibilities.

www.danielbranch.com

Photo by Catherine McMahon on Unsplash

Sometimes it feels like it is impossible to persevere in the faith.  Days get hard.  Some seasons are incredibly hard and draining.  Yet, we are called to persevere.  But how?

Welcome back to day 27 in the 30 Days of Prayer series!  Only three more days to go in the series, and I am so excited for how it has been well-received.  Keep the feedback coming!

Perseverance is not the easiest concept to embrace, but it surely is an incredibly fruitful virtue that we have the opportunity to enjoy.

Grab your cup of warm, soothing liquid delights (I’ve got mine!) and let’s dive into another day to grow closer to Him.

My life as a mom and wife has not been all sunshine and lollipops.  Our marriage has been challenging at times, full of struggles and terrible difficulties.  My parenting journey has been extremely difficult and challenging in a litany of ways (read about my son’s auto-immune disorder, or my very strong-willed child…and then of course parenting in a 250 sq ft trailer with seven children).

There have been so many times where I have wanted to cut and run, but truly, where would I go?

It is not always easy to persevere.  Especially in the heat of the moment, the instincts to fight or flee are surely strong.  But, when we embrace the blessings that follow a decision to persevere instead of run, we open the doors for incredible fruit to follow.

The world leads us to think that we can easily handle all that is thrown at us all on our own.  But, scripture argues against this perspective.

Life was never designed to be lived without the constant presence and connection to the Creator of everything and everyone.

From the dawn of creation to the waning of the sun on the final day, our Abba designed this whole thing to function best when we draw near to Him with our entire being.  But, we tend to neglect this portion of our responsibility and only seek Him out when we need something done.

Photo by Trevor Cole on Unsplash

This is like only using your spouse for sex when you have a physical desire, but never actually getting emotionally connected with them in a relationship.

Most of us women would call that abuse.  And recently with the whole “me too” outpouring on social media (regarding sexual harassment and abuse of women) we have seen how prevalent it is for the flesh to abuse another in the state of selfishness.

But, friends, how often do we treat God with the same neglect and apathy?  How often do we avoid the hard work of connecting with Him in vulnerability to persevere in the work of faith?

Related: 30 Days of Prayer: Pray to be Naked and Unashamed Before God

Maybe I am the only one, but in my flesh it is EASY to avoid the hard stuff.

It is easy to run from the frustrations of life and not really want to seek the wisdom of my Father, because I am afraid that I might actually have to CHANGE.

Am I alone here?

It is NOT natural for me to want to persevere.  On the contrary, everything inside of me in my flesh wants the EASY road.  I don’t WANT to feel the intense desire to grow and mature.  It’s hard, and sacrificial, and not at all what I thought I signed up for in my youth.

In my flesh, I desire to not have to press onward.  Actually, I just want to veg away the days doing nothing and not having to struggle through the work of perseverance; the emotional rollercoaster of obedience to the Spirit that leads me to grow in a deeper and more intimate relationship with Him.

My flesh despises this walk.  It is emotional, frustrating, heartbreaking, tear-stricken, and emptying.

But, these things only remain true when I remain distant from Him.

All of this changes when I pour my heart out to Him, instead of simply being emptied.  As I pour my broken pains and pieces into His loving hands, He tenderly holds them with the greatest Love and carefully carries them to a place of purpose.

Related: 10 Powerful Steps to an Astounding Walk with God

He reveals the most intimate of love stories for me, personalizing His purpose as though I am the apple of His eye…me and me alone.

When I place myself in the palm of His hand, it is as though no one else in the whole world exists.  Just Him and me, together, forever.

Photo by Corinne Kutz on Unsplash

And, I am renewed.  In Him I am strengthened.  Through Him I can step out once again in the faith.  Again to persevere forward one more day, willing to be poured out like a drink offering and then filled up again.

In His loving arms I can do all things, even the things from which my flesh wants to run.  All the pains and sorrows and struggles and worry and face-planting, tear-stained prayer sessions have purpose when I exchange my vision for His.

Through my deepening pouring out to Him, He more deeply pours into me.  And, I am made new.

So, yeah, everything in me hates to do the work of the Spirit, as it challenges my flesh to grow and to quiet.  But, I love everything of the Spirit for it changes me into a new creation, filled with His ever-present Love and constant provision for strengthening and renewal.

It may not be easy to persevere, but it surely brings the most lasting rewards.  For if we do not stay the course for our struggles, how will we ever see the fulfillment of His many promises?

And, truly, I want to see them all fulfilled.  I want to experience every single promise He has ever declared for my life.

So, I will choose to persevere.  I choose to get up yet once again, to dust myself off and lean into the fight.

Again, I will decide to do the good works, for I value the rewards of perseverance far more than the false peace of apathy in a world where I was created for victory.

Abba, help me to lean into the fight in YOUR strength above all else.  Help me to persevere and to fight the good fight of faith.  I want to experience Your many blessings in my life that You have planned for me. Show me the Way.

You alone are the strength I need.  Speak Your Truth into my heart.  Do not let me stray.  Keep me ever close to You, and lead me in the Way everlasting. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Sweet sister, fight the good fight.  Lean into the hard stuff.  Run to Him in all the Truth of your heart, and listen to all that He has for you.  Seek Him and His Ways at all times, and He will show you the way to go.

Be patient.  Persevere.  And, never give up the fight.

Shalom.

Was this post an encouragement to you today?  Share and comment below.  Your comments mean the world to me, encouraging me immensely, and help me to push onward in this work that the Lord has called me to do.

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