1 Part Persistence 1 Part Perseverance Equals Determination

bykarensplace

180 followers

Updated 10 years ago

How many of you when you were a kid would want something SO bad, whether it be a toy, not to eat what was on your plate, or to maybe go somewhere, you bugged and bugged and bugged your parents until they finally gave in? You, probably without even knowing what the words meant yet, used persistence and perseverance to power your determination. Do you do the same as an adult? Shockingly if you think about it, you'd probably say that you don't.

Somewhere along the way into adulthood our persistence and perseverance gets lazy. Maybe not always, maybe not all of the way, but it DOES decrease. We don't mean for it to, it's just something that happens. Take weight loss for example. How many times have you started a diet and then stopped shortly after? Maybe because you didn't see yourself dropping weight fast enough, you didn't like doing it alone, you couldn't find the time to exercise, whatever the case may have been. You gave up without too much of a fight. Why? Because your persistence and perseverance weren't as powerful as they once were and it didn't boost your determination enough.

Persistence is the one element of our souls that help us push through the challenges in our lives. It keeps frustration at bay, it shows us what is "needed" rather than "wanted". Then we have perseverance which keeps negativity out of the picture. All those times that you weren't seeing those results you wanted or others around you WERE seeing the results they wanted and you just wanted to give up .... perseverance and persistence team up and an amazing thing happens. You become determined!

Sure, in the beginning you may "say" you are determined to lose weight, finish a project or whatever the case, but unless you have equal parts of persistence and perseverance, determination doesn't happen very well. You'd be surprised at how many people I have talked to that when I ask the question "are you persistent?" or "do you persevere in any circumstance?" More people than I'd like to admit say no to both. Then I ask, "are you a determined person?" And if they say yes, I ask how that is possible without being persistent or without persevering?

I promise you that if you have felt like giving up on whatever it is you have tried or been trying to do, if you would just have equal parts of persistence and perseverance that you will see your determination go through the roof. You may even develop a brand new outlook on things and see a whole new you!

Here's to being the best possible version of YOU that you can possibly be!

Cheers!

Karen