To be stronger and more persistent focus on 6 things.

Dr. Seuss’s first book was rejected by 27 publishers.

American author Jack London received 600 rejection letters before his first story was released.

Walt Disney went bankrupt after failing at several businesses. He was also fired from a?local newspaper for “lacking imagination”.

Vincent van Gogh created over 900 works of art in his lifetime.?He only sold one painting before he died, and his work didn’t become popular until he passed away.

J. K Rowling was bankrupt, severely depressed, divorced?and a single mom who went back to school while writing Harry Potter and living off government assistance. Her Harry Potter collection has since sold over 500 million copies worldwide making it the most successful book series in history.

Abraham Lincoln failed in business at the age of 21; was defeated in a legislative race at age 22; failed at another business at age 24; suffered the loss of his sweetheart at age 26; had a nervous breakdown at age 27; lost congressional and senate races in his 30s and 40s; failed to become vice-president at age 47; then lost another senatorial race at age 49 before being elected president of the United States at age 52.

We have heard these stories before, but they never get old, especially right now when so many people are struggling.

Persistence is a critical quality for success.?It gives us the strength to never give up and helps us find hope despite life’s setbacks.

“It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer”.??Albert Einstein

Here are 6 ways we can cultivate better persistence:?

Define

Before persistence can be of benefit, we need to define what success looks like for us.?

That’s what I do at Anatomy Success.?Help people define what’s important and build a life around those priorities. It helps to write down what matters most to you and begin the process of defining your values.?Then coordinate a plan to achieve big dreams consistent with your purpose.

Determine

Most people seek outside motivation.?I prefer to make motivation highly personal.?Find some reasons you want to succeed and use those as inspiration to keep you motivated.?

After my father died, I decided to get busy making bigger contributions to the world.?I wanted to inspire young entrepreneurs and anyone with big dreams.?

My purpose is much bigger than myself and it keeps me motivated!?

Orchestrate

Once you define what you want and determine your motivation, it's time to create a plan that will help keep your attention focused on your objectives.?

When I decided to write my first book, I had never done anything like that before.?I devised a plan to make sure writing was a top priority each day and researched all the steps necessary to publish my work. Big goals demand specific plans that are carefully orchestrated.??

“Energy and persistence conquer all things”.?Benjamin Franklin

Mental fortitude

Success isn’t easy, that’s why only 1% of the population achieves the economic success most people desire, and why less than 1% of the population is considered incredibly fit.

To reach the top you will pay a heavy price and make sacrifices most people aren’t willing to make.?

I set off at age 21 to start my own business.?We have flourished ever since.?At age 16 I started my lifetime commitment to extraordinary health and competed professionally as a kickboxer.?

Being successful requires mental fortitude and tenacity.?Learning to be positive and optimistic are essential.?Learning to endure pain and discomfort are mandatory.???

Support

Seek out quality friends that have a history of remarkable accomplishments.?If necessary, start your own mastermind group.?

Surrounding yourself with incredibly smart people that have endured the personal struggles of success is irreplaceable for accurate perspective.?

Eliminate pessimistic friends and family that don’t embrace your dreams and ignore the cynics.?It's time to get serious about achieving our goals.?We can't afford to drag dead weight along for the journey.?

Discipline

Finally, learn to love discipline.?No dream will ever materialize without it.?

Developing better discipline will ensure we develop good habits that support our goals.?We will encounter countless obstacles on our journey.?

Without proper discipline, people give up too easily.?Persistence doesn’t stand a chance without a life dedicated to better discipline.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”.??Aristotle

Sum it up

Have you mastered the art of persistence??Share your thoughts in the comments section and please like and share this article. I love learning from you as well.

About Steve:

Steve Wohlenhaus is CEO of Weatherology, the leading company in the world at disseminating audio weather information.??Steve began his career as a major market television weather anchor in Minneapolis, where he received several Emmy Awards for science programming.?Steve is an author and host of the podcast program Anatomy of Success.?Reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn.?Learn more about my work and grab the free Weatherology mobile app by clicking any picture in this article!