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July 2008        Perserverance

by Kennette Reed

When most people think of perseverance, they think of pushing through when things are tough. However, it is also important to persevere when all is going well. This is when we are most likely to become complacent and allow our sense of security to take us off path. Though we should always acknowledge our successes, we should also: Continue to reflect upon what is important Review the path to our accomplishments Decide where adjustments are needed Determine what remains to be achieved Look for ways in which our learning can be increased If you are a great starter, but often fizzle before reaching your goal, perseverance may be an area you'll want to focus some attention on. To determine if perseverance is an issue for you: 1. Examine your office and/or home. How many unfinished projects can you find? Make a list. 2. Review your list. Next to each listed project, write the reason why it remains incomplete. Be completely honest with yourself. Unfinished projects are a constant reminder of what you haven't accomplished. They are always in the back of your mind. Every subconscious thought of them is laced with a slight bit of guilt. The easiest way to eliminate the thoughts and the guilt is to have closure. Let's go back to the list you created and do the following: 1. Look at each item on your list and decide whether or not you want to complete it. Label each item in the following way:         * Urgent * Important * Not Important 2. List the Urgent projects on a separate sheet in order of Urgency (most urgent at the top) and set a target date for completion. Then, list the steps ( i.e. you need to buy supplies to finish a project, the purchasing of the supplies should be a listed step) necessary for completing each by the target completion date . 3. Do the same for your Important projects. 4. Not Important projects should be discarded (either mentally, physically, or both). The mental energy and time used for these projects can be directed to the Urgent and Important projects. Letting go of these projects will provide a sense of relief. Realize that our interests and needs change. No sense holding on to things which no longer interest us or serve our needs. Letting go of this will make room for other interesting things in your life. Avoid the "no action" alibi. We've all been guilty from time to time of using convenient alibis for not persevering. Eric Hoffer says it well: "There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still have to prove that we are as good today as we were yesterday." The important thing is to be totally honest with ourselves; recognize the alibi for what it is and not make alibis a way of life. Push through the complacency and look for ways to persevere that go beyond overcoming the tough challenges. We must also persevere to overcome the everyday challenges as well. This will lead to a richer experience of life, and the people you meet during it.

Kennette Reed Principal, Kennette Reed & Associates Performance Improvement and Success Coaching Kennette is the author of From Idea to Author, Discovering Your Passion, and Steps Along Your Path Kennette also has a blog e-mail

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