The Four Ps of Persistence

[I]“Nothing in the 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 alone will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” – Calvin Coolidge[/I]

On one of our, trips we traveled through Arches National Monument in southern Utah and viewed spectacular rock formations. Some of the large arches are red rocks that have a whole chiseled through the center by wind and rain that have beat against them for eons of time. They stand as a testament to the power of unending persistence of the elements. Lecretius once said: “The drops of rain make a hole in the stone; not by violence, but by oft falling.”

As we approach the end of another year, thoughts are often turned to what has been accomplished. How many of this year’s resolutions were fulfilled? What things could’ve and should’ve been done if you would’ve exercised a little more stick-to-itiveness?

The common denominator of all successful people is their ability to persist. Single-minded persistence focused on a worthy goal will trump talent, education, and genius. Disraeli defined genius as the power to make continuous effort. Napoleon Hill listed persistence as one of the key steps necessary for a prosperous life in his book, Think and Grow Rich. Willpower when combined with desire creates an unstoppable force that will drive you to accomplish anything you can imagine.

Hill believed that if individuals incorporated four simple steps into the fabric of their character, that it would lead to the habit of persistence. These steps will allow you to take control of your economic destiny, lead to freedom and independence of thought, guarantee favorable “breaks”, convert dreams into physical reality, and help gain control over fear, discouragement, and indifference. Now that’s a pretty powerful list of promises, and to sweeten the pot even more he believed the steps would also lead the way to power, fame, and worldly recognition. In fact, they are essential for success in all walks of life.

Are you ready to learn more about the four steps? They can be remembered by thinking of the four Ps of Persistence: Purpose, Plan, Positive, and Pact.

Step One: Purpose. “The secret of success is constancy of purpose.” – Elbert Hubbard

You must have a definite purpose that is backed by a burning desire for its fulfillment. The stronger your desire, the more driven you will be to see your purpose achieved.

Step Two: Plan. “That which we persist in doing becomes easier. Not that the nature of the thing has changed, but that our power to do has increased.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Planning crystallizes your purpose into action. A definite plan that is expressed in continuous action will keep you focused on your purpose. As you consistently move toward your purpose, it becomes easier to stay the course to completion.

Step Three: Positive. “Your ability to persist in the face of adversity, setbacks and disappointments is your measure of your belief in yourself.” – Brian Tracy

Any worthwhile purpose will have its share of challenges to overcome; however, if you focus on the negative setbacks, you will lose site of the positive outcome. You can never be defeated until you accept defeat as a reality. Keep a positive mindset and don’t let discouragement overcome you. If you don’t give up, nothing will ever keep you down.

Step Four: Pact. “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” – Thomas Edison

The mastermind principle was a common factor that Napoleon Hill discovered among the most successful people of his day. A friendly alliance of people that come together to support and encourage each other to follow-through with both their plan and purpose is the last step to remain consistent. Make sure that each person has a purpose and plan, stays positive, and is genuinely interested in the welfare of each member of the group.

If persistence was not one of your strengths this year, then recommit yourself to become consistent by following the four Ps and seeing your goals through to fruition. Like the persistence of the gentle wind that can carve its way through solid rock over time, your consistent effort will allow you to achieve all your dreams and desires. “Energy and persistence conquer all things.” – Benjamin Franklin

[I]Rik is a business instructor at NMC and Janel is a partner with BizResults, LLC (www.bizresults.org). They can be contacted at biz_results@yahoo.com.[/I]