Take a Turn at Tenacious!

"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. The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." Calvin Coolidge

I have worked with many successful people; people who have achieved the kinds of lives they have dreamed about. I have also worked with many people who are not anywhere near where they want to be in life. Many times those who are not successful resent those who are and believe that somehow success was handed to those who have achieved much.

What I have found however is that actually the reverse is true. Those who have achieved much have worked much HARDER than those who are not successful. You wouldn't believe the stories of struggle that I hear from those who now appear to on "top of the heap." Yes, they are successful, but no, it wasn't handed to them! And I find that most of the unsuccessful people who come to me actually haven't been tenacious at all. I find that with many of the people I speak to who complain about their lack of success simply haven't persevered and been tenacious. When I ask them questions I usually get excuses. Yes, there are exceptions on both sides, but I find this to be almost universally true.

If you are one who finds yourself dreaming of a better life, or looking at someone who "has it made," I would ask you to take a long, deep look inward and at your life to find whether or not you have actually been tenacious in pursuit of your dreams. How long have you gone for it? Many people who achieve much go for YEARS before they achieve what their hearts long for? How hard have you gone for it? Most people who achieve much have given up much. They have sacrificed much. They strive valiantly for what it is that resides deep in their dreams. They just plain ol' work hard!

So what are the principles of tenacity? What do you need to know in order to take your turn at the tenacious? Here are some thoughts to start your fire and get you going!

1. Sometimes you just have to outlast the others.

"Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go." William Feather

I have found that many people start on their dreams but most never finish. Then those who stop resent those who make it. The truth is that most people who become successful have simply mastered the art of keeping on keeping on! I myself can remember early on in my career when I would get discouraged and I literally said to myself, "One more week. Just give it one more week." Quite frankly, this is what got me through a couple of years of my work early on. I hung on as others let go.

It is easy to get disheartened. Ask those who have achieved success if they ever got disheartened and you will find some of the most amazing stories you have ever heard. Give it a try: Go to the most successful person you know and ask them if they ever thought about quitting. Ask them how they kept on going. You will be amazed at what you hear.

2. Sometimes you just have to hold on at the end.

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on." Franklin Roosevelt

I wonder how many people have quit just as they would have begun their entrance into success? Sure there are many who quit at the first sign of hard work, but what about those who, after the tenth time of trial then give up, just as fate would have seen them go through one last hurdle and then into the promised land? How many people were on their last hurdle and decided not to jump? How many people had just one more mountain pass to go? Or just one more river to cross?

Of course we will never know, but certainly some of the people who quit are doing so on what would have been their last trial, right?

So what does this mean for you? For me it means I do not quit because I would hate to find out later that all I needed was just one last effort and I would have achieved my goal. What if it isn't my last trial? That's okay because as long as I keep going, eventually I will get to my last trial, I will overcome it, and I will enter the Winner's Circle.

3. Sometimes the most beautiful results come from dull things under pressure.

"Diamonds are nothing more than chunks of coal that stuck to their jobs." Malcolm Forbes

If coal wasn't an inanimate object it would certainly scream, "Stop! I want out!" But that coal, when facing incredible pressure, is turned into one of earth's most precious possessions. Ugly, dirty old coal is transformed into beautiful diamonds.

Instead of looking at pressure and trials as the reason to quit, get tenacious and see them as the very thing that will make your life the beautiful thing that you desire it to be. See it as your opportunity to learn, to grow, and to be transformed. See these trials as the very things that will enable you to have the life that dream of!

Trials will surely come. Life will get hard. You will want to quit.

Then you will have a choice: Will you give up? Or will you take your turn at tenacious. The choice you make will determine much of the rest of your life.

My advice? Take your turn at tenacious. You will become stronger, and you will end up living the life you dream of!

About The Author:

Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams.

To see Chris "live" at the upcoming Jim Rohn Weekend Event as he speaks on the subject of Secrets of Influence go to http://Chris-Widener.InspiresYOU.com/ or call 800-929-0434.

---

Even Though

As often happens following one of the Best Year Yet... Read More

5 Ways to Fight Pessimism

Some people are naturally pessimistic and are happy... Read More

How to Talk to Yourself When Nobody is Listening and You Want to

Do you ever pay attention to the thoughts inside your... Read More

Motivation By An Audience

Sooner or later, if you keep working hard in a... Read More

Money Doesnt Finance Dreams

Are you putting off your dreams until you have money?... Read More

Creating Your Best Year Ever

January is synonymous with resolutions and getting organized is high... Read More

Motivation By Daily Applause

One of our most powerful psychological needs is the craving... Read More

Self-Limiting Beliefs: The Inner Enemies of Progress

What are they?Self-limiting beliefs are those things you believe about... Read More

This Just Ain?t Good!

"Nope, this just ain't good!" How many times in our... Read More

4 Qualities of Highly Successful People

What if you can be, do or have anything you... Read More

A Wake Up Call

The story below is a true story that happened in... Read More

Motivation; 5 Steps to Get the Changes You Want

Q: I just read your column in today's' Greensboro News... Read More

Map to a Gold Mine - Could You, Would You?

If a total stranger came up to you and said:... Read More

12 Reflections on Personal Responsibility

Responsibility means being accountable for what we think, say, and... Read More

Learn to Do What Winners Do But Others Will Not

If you want to be a winner you have to... Read More

Activity Versus Accomplishment

Each and every day, all of us continually search for... Read More

Have A Crack!

For everyone the New Year is now in full swing.... Read More

Inertia? 5 Tips to Getting Yourself Moving Again!

Inertia. Even the word sounds like a disease. No, it... Read More

Say It Aint So

For years, many of us heard the phrase "Knowledge is... Read More

Overcome Fear: You?ll Miss All The Shots You Don?t Take

A lot of folks are petrified at the mere thought... Read More

Be Action-Oriented

Are you a melancholic online business owner by nature? I... Read More

Limitations Real Or Imagined, Stick Em In A Pigs Eye!

It's about time to take a real hard look at... Read More

After the Storm......

Have you ever wondered why is it that after we... Read More

Motivation: No Finish LInes

There is a saying that goes something like "getting to... Read More

DAMAGED

On the J-O-B. That's where I met him. Quentin Cole... Read More

Take a Turn at Tenacious!

"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.... Read More

Understanding What Motivates People to Take Action

So I wanted to buy a car. It was a... Read More

Ahead of the Curve to be on Top

I once heard a statement that no matter how good... Read More

Action vs. Self Delusion

Knowledge fueled by emotion equals action. Action is the ingredient... Read More

4 Secret Ways to Stop Procrastinating

Ever wonder how to stop procrastinating?I was recently talking with... Read More

How Do I Stop Procrastinating?

Often times we procrastinate because it just seems like so... Read More

10 Ways to Reclaim Your Self-Esteem

The way you feel about yourself impacts how and why... Read More

If You Dont Ask You Are Rejected, 7 Steps to Overcome that Fear of Rejection

If You Don't ask then You are Already Rejected. Many... Read More