Reflect back on times when you were persistent. What did you do? How long and how often did you repeat the behavior you needed for success? Did you get the results you wanted? What did you learn from the experience?

One key to experiencing positive results from your persistence is to know when you must be persistent. Once you have a feel for determining when being persistent is most likely to help you get what you desire, you can practice strategies that help you develop greater persistence. As with many other activities, the more you practice the better you get!

Try these techniques to develop more persistence for greater success in your endeavors:

1. Accept that anyone can be persistent. If you’ve ever doubted you could hang in during a difficult situation until your goal is met, doubt no more. Everyone is capable of exhibiting perseverance.
2. Ask yourself, “How important is this issue?” Because being persistent requires quite a bit of mental energy – and in some cases, physical energy as well – you want to be sure that the issue or situation is important enough to you to put in the effort.
3. Be very clear about your goal. Know what you want. What do you hope to accomplish? Your focus on the desired end product or goal will propel you forward.
4. Faith is the fuel. Although being persistent doesn’t require any particular talent or skill, it does take some faith to keep you going. It’s important to truly believe that what you’re working toward will work out eventually. If you believe, you will persist.
5. Try different angles. If one approach doesn’t work, try another. Then repeat an approach you tried earlier but adjust it. Sometimes, persistence involves a certain amount of experimentation before you achieve your goal.
6. It’s okay to change what you want and tweak your goals. If you find that your situation has changed or the goal is no longer integral to your life, change directions with confidence. Create a new plan that will get you to your new goal.
7. Avoid giving up unless your goal changes or the importance of the issue has waned.
8. Be inspired by someone who persisted and succeeded. Stories of persistence leading to success are everywhere to inspire you. Writers, athletes, musicians, and people from other walks of life have their inspiring stories of persistence to tell.

• J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, claims to have submitted her first Potter novel to many publishers who rejected the manuscript numerous times before it was finally accepted for printing. Throughout those months of waiting, Rowling just kept writing about Harry and his crew. She persisted.
• ConsiderMichael Jordan, proclaimed as the best basketball player ever by many all over the world. Jordan says he didn’t make the varsity basketball team in his high school when he was a sophomore. And that fact only made him more determined. He was persistent and eventually achieved every goal imaginable in his field.
• Find your own hero who persisted and rose above the fray. Seek your own inspiration to compel you to be persistent.

Know the importance of the situation as well as your goal. Have faith, experiment, and adjust your goals if need be. Don’t give up unless it’s time. Finally, find your own hero who persisted and eventually achieved great things.

Being persistent is simple, yet requires courageous effort. The best part is… anyone can do it!

 photo credit: dtcchc

Humans have the tendency to want to control everything. Since there are always situations that can’t be controlled, suffering occurs. Unfortunately, this suffering can’t be escaped. Your goal should never be to avoid mistakes at all costs and seek control. Your goal should be to strengthen your perseverance by effectively dealing with the situation when things go awry.

Keep these tips in mind as you strengthen your perseverance:

Never Give Up. When you have an ultimate goal, you owe it to yourself to completely follow through. There are going to be plenty of bumps in the road. Don’t let any of these bumps bring you down. Always be seeking new ways of approaching problems.

Seek Out the Positive. When things have become overwhelmingly negative for you, seek out positive things in your life. You might want to surround yourself with loved ones or watch positive movies. You definitely want to seek out situations that’ll promote your optimism and enthusiasm.

Take Action and Responsibility. Do whatever you can to inspire yourself to take bold actions toward your goal. Fight the urge to procrastinate or settle for less. Thinking about your goals is simply not enough; you need to start somewhere in order to get yourself there. You can’t wait for some sign or higher power to get you to where you want to go, you must be willing to take action!

Get Help When Needed. Be wise enough to know when a situation warrants help from others. You don’t need to take every single thing into your own hands. Instead, choose to follow advice from the people you trust or the experts in your chosen field. Flat out ask them how they’ve maintained the drive to keep going.

Know Your True Self. Knowing yourself and having organized thoughts can improve your perseverance. When you know where you’re going and the steps you need to take to get there, that’s half the battle. That’s why you need to take the proper amount of time for self-reflection. Know the true ins and outs of what you want and exactly why you want it.

Stop Bad Habits. Do everything in your power to put a stop to bad habits. If there are certain behaviors you’ve identified that are keeping you from achieving your goals, you need to get rid of them. This could be simply negative thinking or you might be fighting procrastination. When you concentrate on each bad habit individually, you’ll be better able to deal with the problems that might exist.

Concentrate on Stress Management. Stress management and your level of perseverance are definitely related. When stress overwhelms you, it clouds your current thinking and brings on negativity. Your perseverance can’t flourish in a negative environment. You must first conquer any problems you have with stress so you’ll be better able to reach your goals.

Step By Step

Perseverance is likely already a part of your life. You just need to bring it out and strengthen its existence. It all boils down to the power of thought. When you think you can, you will. When you think you can’t, you won’t.