“Press on: nothing in the world can take the place of perseverance. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”
— Calvin Coolidge
A couple of nights ago I was reading the chapter on Persistence in “Think and Grow Rich,” by Napolean Hill. I was reminded of mile 10 in the Big Sur marathon. It’s a 5% grade uphill to Hurricane point. Having driven the course the night before, I knew that hill was more than a mile long. It looks really steep at the bottom, believe me. I took a deep breath, focused on the road directly in front of me and just ground it out to the top. That success gave me the impetus to finish strong. I knew if I could run up that–I could run anything.
Sometimes leadership feels like that doesn’t it? Whether you’re the CEO of a large corporation or non-profit or the parent of a family, sometimes we just have to put our head down and face what’s directly in front of us…one step at a time…until we reach our goal.
Persistence is a driving trait of a strong leader. It is the ability to continue to move forward toward our goals in spite of tremendous obstacles or set backs. Persistence helps us confront complications and yet still keep our perspective.
When we face obstacles, challenges or even failure, persistence is the ability to face them with the determination and tenacity to find a solution. As leaders, we are the ones who set the tone for those we lead. Isn’t this the behavior that we want to see in those we lead? If we are raising up other leaders, we want them to learn to persist until they solve the problem. Our persistence establishes a set of expectations for our teams. They learn to expect to solve problems on their own and they develop a “can do” attitude because of that expectation.
We are programmed to give up or take the easier route. But grinding out the best solution builds character and helps grow into our full potential. Persevering develops our talent and self-esteem for the next challenge that we face. It makes us stronger, hence it makes those we lead stronger.
Life may be easy…but that’s only if we are living inside of our comfort zone. Who wants to stay there? It’s not very fun or exciting. Leaders live on the edge. Leaders push the envelope …most of the time. Yes, there are times, when I want the couch and my blankie–but those times don’t last long anymore. Practicing persistence can become a habit, because of the positive effects it has on us and other in our lives.
Persistence gives us the ability to remain consistent even in the face of challenges and difficulties. Consistency provides stability to those who follow because they know what they can expect from the leader and they know what is expected from them.
My last thought on persistence; Those who develop the habit of persistence seem to enjoy insurance against failure. No matter how many times we may be defeated, persistence enables us to get up and give it another go. No matter how smart, educated or talented we are, a goal or vision of any great stature will not be achieved without persistence. Nothing takes the place of persistence.
Have you developed the haibt of persistence? Are you modeling that for those you lead?
Are we ready to persist to reach our goals for 2018?
Persisting,
Jan
Jan McDonald
The John Maxwell Team
(still CEO of Life Options)
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