Do You Have the Will to Persist

“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” ~ Harriett Beecher Stowe

Perseverance is a trait that is tough to master. Not because it is necessarily difficult to navigate; but more importantly, its success is most dependent upon the bearer to never give up hope. In the face of multiple setbacks, that reality can actually become tough to handle. Regardless of the challenges, the will to persist will most often create the essence of success.

The story is told of Charles Goodyear who purchased an Indian rubber life preserver as a curiosity. He was told that if the cold did not turn it into a stone-like substance or the extreme heat reduced it to a boiling liquid, it could be used for literally thousands of things. Excited about the potential but concerned about the adverse impacts, Goodyear pledged to solve the dilemma.

He invested large sums of money and conducted experiment after experiment to overcome the product challenges. He failed. Money began to dissolve to the point that his family could no longer afford the basic life necessities. Everyone around him thought he was going insane. Friends and colleagues alike were concerned.?

Goodyear was not insane as people thought. He battled adversity and virtually every obstacle for over five years. He never gave in and never lost sight of his commitment. Finally, when all looked lost and after the most common of all men would have given up, Goodyear had a breakthrough. He found a remedy for dealing with the product’s shortfalls and turned that remedy into a billion-dollar enterprise. Without his persistence, we would have no Goodyear Tire Company today.

When challenges hit you right squarely in the mouth and when all seems lost time and time again, it is easy to “throw in the towel” on your efforts. Quitting does not take courage. It may lessen the stress, but it will never solve the problem. You have to dig in, dig deep and keep on going even when there is no clear road to travel. Only through perseverance can you overcome any despair. As Greenville Kleiser said, “When you want a thing deeply, earnestly, and intensely, this feeling of desire reinforces your will and arouses in you the determination to work for the desired object. When you have a distinct purpose in view, your work becomes of absorbing interest. You bend your best powers to it; you give it concentrated attention; you think of little else than the realization of this purpose; your will is stimulated into unusual activity, and as a consequence, you do your work with an increasing sense of power.”

Where there is no perseverance in striving to reach goals, there will be no absolution. Continuance in your effort is necessary at all times if you wish to see those dreams fulfilled. Such diligence will help determine your true self. Thus it is critical to remember fate is not determined necessarily by chance but by the one who chooses to persevere.