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Carolyn Smagalski
Persistence
Founder - Editor - Host
If you are on a mission toward success, chances are that you
have, on occasion, felt as if you were running out of steam.
You asked yourself where you are going with this, how much you
can endure, and if your purpose is beneficial to others.
Every great athlete has asked that question, as has everyone
who achieved massive success. "The rewards for those who
persevere far exceed the pain that must precede the victory,"
said Ted W. Engstrom.
 Robert Strauss probably has the most accurate description of
the struggle to persevere in your purpose.
He wrote, "It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't
quit when you're tired, you quit when the gorilla is tired."
The image this conjures up is fascinating, and fully
illustrates the danger of quitting rather than carrying on
with a tenacious spirit.
Perseverance requires creativity. It consists of learning
from those things that have not worked, modifying the plan,
and trying again. It may require thinking outside the box.
You may not realize how cemented you are in your ideas until
you do.
Try this exercise: Look at the box below. Connect all nine
dot using 4 straight lines, without repeating a line or
lifting your pencil from the paper. Keep trying, and don't
give up until you have done it.
The answer is below, but do not scroll down until you have
given yourself a fair chance at solving the puzzle.
"All great masters are chiefly distinguished by the power of
adding a second, a third, and perhaps a fourth step in a
continuous line. Many a man had taken the first step. With
every additional step you enhance immensely the value of your
first," penned Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Have you found the solution to your puzzle? If you have, you
understand the value of seeking solutions that may not be
obvious. You may need to give yourself a little extra time,
add steps, (as Emerson suggests), or ask for help. Asking
others is not a sign that you lack creativity - it is just
another "direct solution" to problem solving.
Here is the solution to the puzzle:
If you were able to solve it, congratulations on your creative
mindset. If you needed help, you will begin to understand
that there may be solutions that you have not yet considered -
solutions that may lead to significant success. Saint Francis
de Sales, bishop of Geneva (1567-1622) wrote, "Have patience
with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do
not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but
instantly set about remedying them — every day begin the task
anew."
Content copyright © 2003-2008 by Carolyn
Smagalski. All rights reserved. This content was written
by Carolyn Smagalski. If you wish to use this content in any
manner, you need written permission.
Contact Carolyn Smagalski
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