2 reasons why you fail to be persistent
Persistence is one of the keys to success… wouldn't you agree?
What would be your answer if I asked, "What do you think is the most important step towards achieving your goals?
It is not a secret that persistence plays a significant role in success. But if we all know that persistence can help us achieve whatever we want, then why do most of us fail to be perseverant? Because the problem lies within our approach toward a new goal. It is human nature to give up quickly at the slightest obstacle. Which often leads us to nothing but Failure!
By now, I guess you have realized that it is high time to do something about life, which is why you’re reading this article.
Isn’t it?
If so, then I have good news for you. Keep reading…
I believe training to be Persistent is the first and foremost key to achieving anything in life. I am sure everyone will agree to that.
But why do most people fail to be persistent despite knowing the secret recipe for success?
In this article, we will examine Two possible reasons that might be the culprit behind everything. Ready for it? Let’s roll…
I want to start the discussion by mentioning this famous quote.
"I haven't failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that don't work. "
But why? Because it sums up the gist of our conversation in a few words.
I’m sure you have heard of the incredible scientist “Thomas Edison at least once in your lifetime.” Perhaps, he was the man who revolutionized our ancestors’ lives by pioneering new inventions in the field of electricity during the 19th century.
But why are we talking about him? This article isn’t about inventions, right? Well, that’s correct, but his name was brought up mainly as an example of how his persistence made him a Great inventor after numerous failures.
He had to try dozens and hundreds of times before succeeding in making this discovery. I am pretty sure if he hadn’t been persistent, the electricity would have arrived much later to our forefathers.
But Thomas Edison was not the only one. Many like him have persevered until they have achieved their well-deserved success. For example, we can quote Michael Jordan, the famous basketball player who failed to win many matches before succeeding and becoming what he is today. JK Rowling has seen her books being refused several times by major publishing houses and today has become a successful writer of Harry Potter. Will Smith was rejected more than a hundred times at castings but still became one of the superstars of Hollywood by being consistent in his actions. And the list goes on and on.
So, what's the Mantra behind Success?
Have you noticed something? All these successful people have one thing in common: Persistentancy.
Persistency is continuously nurturing the patience and determination required to achieve your long-term goals. Metaphorically speaking, it’s like being a marathon runner instead of a sprinter.
How do you Practice this Skill?
So, How do you become a marathon runner? This is what we will explore together throughout this article.
Before we start, let me tell you why most of us fail in the first place.
Reason One: You only rely on "Motivation."
In simple words, you need to have a system if you want to sustain your progress in the long run. You need something solid to stay on track. Well, most of you will say,
“Don’t worry, dude, I’m really motivated!”
Well, that’s where the problem is. And you may ask, why?
Honestly, if you solely rely on your willpower and motivation, you will go straight and hit a wall. Honestly, I learned it the hard way and struggled to face reality for a long time. Phew!!
Motivation, in general, is a positive trait to have. But the problem with motivation is like a car’s fuel. The vehicle will run as long as it can burn that fuel. Once finished, you can no longer move your vehicle. Motivation is rapid and exciting but doesn’t last long for most people. Because it is influenced by external factors instead of growing from inside. You may think the motivation graph will keep spiking up, but it doesn’t.
In real life, it would look much more like this…
Motivation is tricky, and it’s treacherous!!
Life knocked me down several times when I tried to play too smart with her. You must have experienced that too…
In my experience…
Your motivation will play you without giving a single clue. Get a reality check if you think everything will be buttery smooth once you get motivated!!
Initially, you’d feel pumped; there’s no denying that. You’d feel like you could climb Mount Everest barefooted. Hahahaha! Because motivation makes you feel the power of adrenaline rush. Trust me when I say…Motivation may seem like your greatest ally, but it is not.
Ask yourself and tell me…
- What’s the euphoriaof new resolutions every year?
- Where do you get that urge to make 1,000 resolutions at once?
At the beginning of every year, you feel motivated and keep telling yourself, “This must be the right year. I will work hard this time and become a better version of myself.” Then you make a list of resolutions (same as last year :p); for instance,
I want to…
- “Achieve my goals,”
- “Stop procrastinating,”
- “Be more efficient,”
- “Become famous,”
- “Become rich,”
- “Travel the whole World,”
- “Start a new business,”
- ” Or even something as simple as Stop biting my nails,”
And the list goes on and on. But the resolutions are hardly followed as time goes by. Isn’t it?
Let’s take a scenario:
- You have already imagined yourself becoming super
- Successfully accomplishing all the goals.
- Getting in better shape, Etc.
What’s happening here is that you have prepared a perfect script, and you’re all set to shoot a film based on your imaginary success story. But why? Simply because you feel Falsely Positive toward your goals without even achieving them.
Yes, the feeling of being invincible feels incredible, but it won’t gas your car on a long drive. Trust me!
To read: 3 habits that help me stay positive every day!
Although, positive thinking is a good thing to some extent. In a way, it reassures us consciously and subconsciously. We certainly experience a small dose of “Dopamine (The Feel-Good Hormone) ” release.
But one day…
- You wake up and find your motivation dwindling.
- You feel that the invincible protection you put around you is gradually
And from that moment on…
- Your belief system suddenly gets shocked after realizing that you can’t avoid this inevitable drop.
As a result, the same pattern keeps repeating for a while,
- And forces you to space out all the practices you have put in place.
- Eventually, you start doing fewer things, and you quit.
Little by little, you start to withdraw yourself!
Reason two: Your Plans should Lead you to Action, not Fantasy
I firmly believe the second reason behind all inconsistency is not taking enough action immediately after (The Motivation phase) making plans.
“Action” is what makes us move forward in our lives. Writing a long list of goals and doing nothing about them…doesn’t. That’s just deceiving yourself!
It is important:
To know that without perseverance,
- You will be disappointed if you fail to make progress.
- And eventually, you will become frustrated and lose self-confidence.
But once acquired, persistence is a powerful quality that will help you stand out from a crowd.
Look…
You have only two options when you face unforeseen events, failures, and difficulties in life.
- Either throw in the towel and give up!
- Or try again and again and keep learning from failures.
To read: Fight your negative thoughts with this exercise
I want you to be in the second-case scenario. Believe me…
- It’s all about knowing how to get yourself back on your feet.
- It’s all about learning how to keep moving forward.
Some people will tell you, “Dreams, they matter most”…I agree, but without Actions, they are mere imaginations, isn’t it?. Be sure of yourself and your goals, and don’t let anyone around you criticize your strategy!
I was the first to question myself whenever someone said that to me. If I had listened to every time someone said something to me, I would never have done everything I’ve done so far (including writing this blog! ). Now I stay focused on my goals and know I will achieve them!
“ I know I will get there. ”
Keep repeating this phrase in your mind and wait to see the Magic!
Stay focused! The path will not necessarily be short and easy, but it will be your path, and only you can reach your Destination.
Thank you for sharing your time.
Tell me how you feel following this article, or share your favorite technique to achieve your goals in the comments.
May the force be with you!
It’s your turn!
Kazi, Ex-Quitter!!