Persistence

Prequote – No man achieves great success who is unwilling to make personal sacrifices

Mr. Hill identifies the four qualities necessary to develop persistence. They are:

1. Definiteness of purpose backed by a burning desire for its fulfillment
2. Definite plan expressed in continuous action
3. A mind closed tightly against all negative influences including negative suggestions of relatives, friends and acquaintances
4. A friendly alliance with one or more persons who will encourage one to follow through with both plan and purpose.

In looking at these four qualities, it makes me ponder what separates persistence from procrastination and how both can live and breathe in the same body. Why is it that certain actions get full attention and others “can always wait until tomorrow”? Could the answer be in the first quality of a “definiteness of purpose backed by a burning desire to fulfill it”?

We all have the tendency to gravitate to those activities we enjoy. Unfortunately, there often is not a correlation between what we enjoy what is necessary for success. Procrastination lives in all of us and continually calls for us to rationalize why immediate action is unnecessary.

In looking at this first quality, I wondered about the term “definiteness of purpose”. What is a definiteness of purpose and how does one go about getting one? Why is it that some people seem to know exactly what their “mission” is and others just let life control them? I am not a psychologist so I can not give academic answers to these questions. However, as a student of people, I can say unequivocally that a definiteness of purpose must come from within. Without internal conviction, there is little chance of igniting the burning desire and keeping it alive.

In order to find a definiteness of purpose it is important to keep an active mind and be aware of your passions and skills. Often, this definiteness of purpose is found where we least expect it. It often comes out of tragic events. It is all in our perspective and how we perceive these events. The important point is that definiteness of purpose will never come to those that do not continue the quest of finding that which sparks their passion.

Passion is the fuel that ignites the burning desire. However, once this desire is ignited, it is the definite plan that keeps the desire burning. I know of very few plans that do not require sacrifice, will not run into setbacks and do not need to be revised. All of these factors are contributory to procrastination. As they say; when the going gets tough, the weak can always finish the job tomorrow.

Procrastination is the very reason why the definiteness of purpose must be personal and why passion is required to light the burning desire. Nothing worth while comes for free and without sacrifice. By definition, a sacrifice is the surrender of something valued for the sake of something perceived as having a higher or more pressing claim.

Without a personal definiteness of purpose which is supported by a specific plan and fueled by passion, procrastination will seep into our lives and potentially destroy our ambitions. This trifecta is the secret of persistence. It is the driving force to success and the antidote for procrastination.

Mr. Hill mentioned the impact of negative influences and specifically the suggestions of relatives, friends and acquaintances. He stated that we should guard against those things that run contrary to our passions. This is why it is important to keep an active mind and be aware of your passions and surroundings. Who knows how many great ideas have been delivered stillborn because of the negativity and lack of imagination of these “confidants” who have never taken a risk in their lives.

I remember my own father, who I loved dearly, telling me that I should go into accounting because numbers always needed counting whether they were red or black. Wow that sure was a reason to pick a career. Unfortunately, my insight into my own passion was not developed and I took his advice. While I made a good living with my accounting education and it will always serve me well, it is not my passion.

You do not have to look any farther then any youth sports venue to find misdirected relatives and or coaches. What usually starts out as a love of a game turns into a child trying to please others. This almost always turns out bad. If the individual does not have the personal passion and desire to succeed, they will not be willing to make the necessary sacrifices. Their efforts are misdirected. The next step is usually the parent or coach forcing the individual to make the sacrifices. This turns into resentment and a dislike of the game they used to love. However, the biggest loss is the individual’s inability to focus on finding their true passion. While I have used sports in this analysis, it is prevalent in the arts, selection of career and any other area where people look for their passions.

While it is difficult to stand up to those we respect and believe they “have our best interest at heart”, an important component of finding your passion is to keep it your passion. However, once you have found your passion, it is just as important to find a support group or “mastermind group”. The roll of this group is to twofold. It is to be supportive and provide needed information and advice. In this roll the group will hold us accountable to our plan and provide suggestions on revisions. They will also demand we stay on task and be persistent in our endeavors. They act as a force field against procrastination.

The second role of these trusted advisor's is to be candid. Many times our passion overwhelms common sense. This is where a confidant with nothing to gain personally can provide valuable insight. They have the ability to see what our passion has blinded from us. The truth only comes to those that seek it.

Those who are persistent in reaching their goals defeat procrastination through the implementation of these four qualities rolled up in a blanket of passion. Without passion, we will end up on our couch watching those that have found the right venue for their passion to succeed.