Persistence…
John Calvin Coolidge the 30th President of the United States was a somewhat quiet but decisive man, but it is not of his presidency that I want to focus on, but a poem that he wrote. I have used this poem many times over the last two decades as a reminder for myself and a learning tool for my mentees and people that I have taught.
Read it below and hopefully it will encourage you the way it has done for me. It serves to remind me that I should never give up on my dreams and I should pursue them with a vigor that aligns with my purpose, my values and my destiny.
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful people 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.”
I often hear people speak about other people’s success wishing they could emulate it. Unfortunately the drive, motivation and passion are just not there. The passion of which I speak is always stronger the younger the person. The belief that one can do and achieve anything when nurtured in a child makes them unstoppable. Have you ever been literally hounded by a child that wants something that you have said no to, but you still get a relentless attack on your will until eventually most parents give in. This self-belief and persistence seems to dissipate the older we get however. It is almost like the older you get the more you start to doubt and you accept that maybe this is your lot in life.
If you track the success of many an entrepreneur, sports personality, movie star the list goes on – what you will hear about is hard work, commitment and motivation to keep at it until they achieve. I still remember vividly when Mo Farah was being interviewed having won his first Olympic gold medal at the London Olympics. What struck me was the sheer dedication that he had when he described his training routine and said I can now see my family again after months of being apart.
Many of us want to reach pinnacles, hit our dreams but unfortunately it takes hard work to lay the foundation for long term success. Would you do, relatively speaking, what Mo did to achieve your aspirations? Would you spend 6 months away at time if that was the cost and spend the 10000 hours that it will take to master your skill?
Before you speak about getting that six pack stomach or writing that best-selling book or developing that business, please take some time to consider the commitment you will have to make. Ask yourself the question; “what is the price and am I willing to pay the price?”
The poem gives you the formula, it is simple there is no secret! Persistence and determination are omnipotent.
