PERSISTENCE

“There must be a beginning of any great matter; but the continuing unto the end until it be thoroughly finished yields the true glory”. Francis Drake (1540-1596).

Starting a thing is not the problem. In fact starting is nothing compared to finishing. Most people who are unable to finish what they started do so because of their inability to endure all the difficulties that come their way.

It is like fighting a war. When a soldier goes to war, he does not just defeat one person. He does not believe that because the man he took on has surrendered to him the battle is over. Remember that the battle is not against a soldier but against an entire army. He fights on until the very last of his opponents surrenders. It is then that the battle is over and he is permitted to rejoice. He believes in fighting to the very last man. That is what persistence is about.

“Be ashamed to die until you’ve won some victory for humanity”- Horace Mann (1796-1859). You should never give up until whatever you are pursuing is at its end. Persistence is all about continuing steadily despite problems or obstacles. To keep a lamp burning we have to keep putting oil in it. If you really need a positive result, you should be willing to hang on no matter how long it takes it to come.

The truth is your success does not depend on how much effort you put in but it depends on how long you can fight to get it. “Never accept failure, no matter how often it visits you. Keep on going. Never give up”- Michael Smurfit.

Written by Ude Nnenne