Persistence

Persistence Succeeds Where Nothing Else Can!

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

"Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success."...Napoleon Hill

Persistence succeeds where nothing else can. I'll swear by this statement. We all have seen it time and time again.  That little boy who was average at best when they began a sport...but who persisted until they were a force to be reckoned with. The little girl who was told she would never be good enough at singing who went on to become a platinum selling artist. The business person or inventor who was told their vision was "crazy" or unobtainable who summarily discounted those opinions to achieve enormous success. We're all very familiar with these types of stories.

I read a great meme the other day. It said: "Tired of starting over? Quit giving up." Man...how true is that? I know there are at least 500,000 things that I could have mastered had I stayed with them. Okay maybe 10...but you get the point.

And we all know this beyond a shadow of a doubt. All of us have at some time or another persisted in something till we got what we wanted or achieved a goal. And the payoff that comes with doing such is incredible.  The emotional payoff is what I'm talking about here. There's very little that compares to the feeling of taking on something that others say you can't or won't achieve...and then achieving it.  It's like BAM!  Perhaps we all need to remember those victories when we are encountered by the obstacles and setbacks that too often derail us. 

It's important to stay motivated.  Things go wrong.  Mistakes are going to be made.  We just can't let these things crush our souls. Every mistake IS truly a stepping stone for another opportunity. There is, undoubtedly, a lesson...a takeaway from every experience we go through in life. Some of the strongest and wisest people I've ever known or encountered went through unbelievable adversity. Some of their stories were heart wrenching. The types of things you couldn't image experiencing. But they came through demonstrating remarkable resiliency and persistence.

Persistence.  That's what it takes to achieve anything worthwhile. Here's the formula: Persistence + Persistence + Persistence + Persistence + Persistence + Persistence + Persistence + Persistence + Persistence + Persistence = SUCCESS! 

Until next time:

#YouMatterTremendously
#GoldenRuleLifeStrategy

Here's today's video: 

The Art Of Appreciation

Appreciation Is Showing Them You Care

"Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return.  Truly appreciate those around you, and you'll soon find many others around you.  Truly appreciate life, and you'll find that you have more of it."...Ralph Marston

I am sure with many people it comes intuitively.  And I know that there are people who make sure their children are raised in such a manner that appreciation is a part of their fabric, part of their being. That's parenting done right.  With many of us, however, it is something that we need to recognize and cultivate more.  The art of appreciation, when mastered, can result in you becoming a new person, not just in the eyes of others but in your own self perception.

Appreciation is showing "them" you care. Showing all the people around you that they have meaning in your life.  It's doing something simple like taking the time to make a special home cooked meal for your family.  It's listening to your children when you're spent but they are excited about something and want to share it with you. It's taking a few minutes to rub your dog's belly.  It's lending a helping hand to a neighbor when they are stuck in the driveway after a heavy Cleveland snow!  Ok that one's personal...but my neighbor sure appreciated it.  It's showing a customer or client you remember them with by sending a birthday, Christmas, or anniversary card, or even better by going the extra mile to help them solve a problem or achieve a goal they have. Delivering far more than they expected. 

Gifts are nice!  There are times when a great gift is appropriate.  But everyday well intentioned gestures are rarely a matter of money.  It costs you nothing to pick up the phone and call an elderly relatative or an old friend you haven't spoken with in awhile.  It costs you very little to pack a picnic basket and take your significant other somewhere to spend some time with them.  Somewhere with a spectacular view that they may have spoken about at an earlier time.  It costs you nothing to observe that somebody is in a time of need and offer them an ear to confide in without judgement.

With some effort, and a little creativity, you can wow somebody through the art of appreciation.  It's too damn easy to fall into the routine of taking everything for granted.  We have a tendency to do this. Our family and friends.  Our neighbors and coworkers.  Our community and country.  It makes sense to begin to revive the relationships around us with a renewed sense of appreciation towards them and life in general.  Remember...this life we are leading is not a practice run.  Love and happiness are not the types of things that you should be waiting for, but instead they are the type of things to be experienced TODAY.  Right here in this present moment. And it is only with appreciation and sincere gratitude for the many many things that we're probably taking for granted on an everyday basis that allows true happiness to be felt.

Let's take a moment sometime this week to think about 2 or 3 things we can do to show some of "them" that they are appreciated. And then repeat every week with a few more of "them."  The Universal Law of Reciprocity dictates that appreciation will find it's way back to you for doing so.  How could it be any other way?  Think about it.

Until next time...

#YouMatterTremendously

#GoldenRuleLifeStrategy
#LiveYourLifeWithPurpose

Patience...The Often Overlooked Component Of Success

It Takes Time To Achieve Anything Worthwhile.

"Have patience.  All things are difficult before they become easy."...Saadi

We live in a world of instant gratification.  It's probably the end result of being absolutely spoiled by the technology that surrounds us. People tend to forget how different things were not too long ago. The younger crowd?  Forget about it!  They laugh out loud when you tell them that at one time you had to turn on the oven to reheat some leftovers instead of zapping it in the microwave for 30 seconds!  Ok, I'm probably dating myself with that example...but it's true.  I actually remember when the first microwaves came out. We were absolutely amazed.  But our lives operate a little bit different than some left over spaghetti.  It takes time to achieve anything worthwhile.  And that requires patience from us.  Patience is the often overlooked component of success.  

We're often unrealistic in the time frame it requires to reach our goals.  We see the people who have achieved what we want to achieve and we become mesmerized by the circumstances they are able to enjoy.  The cold hard reality is that the most successful amongst us had to persevere for a long time! The bigger the achievement, the longer the journey.  A successful doctor had to put in many, many years of schooling to earn his degree.  He had to pay his dues in residency and then build up his practice.  He grinded for a loooong time!  A professional or Olympic athlete usually began their chosen sport when they were just little kids.  Absolutely countless hours of practice and years of competition came before the final spectacular performance that leaves the world audience breathless and amazed.  The successful comedian or actor/actress has go through acting classes and many rehearsals and auditions to 

before they get discovered or recognized.

"Patience is a virtue" was a common phrase used by many in generations gone by.  I'm not sure if it's still said with regularity but if it's not then it should be!  The need for patience needs to be cultivated and practiced by anyone looking to enact major change in their lives, or people who want to accomplish their long term goals. Set goals.  Develop a plan to achieve your goals.  Work hard with determination and stay the course.  Modify along the way if need be. Persist.  Have patience.  You can achieve anything if you can discipline yourself to do what is necessary over the long haul.

Until next time...

#YouMatterTremendously

#GoldenRuleLifeStrategy
#LiveYourLifeWithPurpose