
According to Merriam Webster Dictionary Persistence is defined as the quality that allows someone to continue doing something or trying to do something even though it is difficult or opposed by other people.
It is also defined the act or fact of stubbornly continuing to do something
Persistence is an important quality every students and young adult must possess. Persistence is what keeps us going when the odds are not in our favor, it is what makes you study harder when you are finding it difficult to learn that course or subject.
Major success seldom comes easily or without a great deal of effort.
The pathway to success isn’t always smooth, it is often rough and you can easily give up if you don’t have a persisting mindset.
If you only become persistent when you feel good about something or about yourself then you will surely drop one or more of your activities the next time you are not in a good mood. What people don’t know about persistence is that you don’t have to be feeling good when doing that particular thing. Wanting to be persistent while waiting for your mood to stabilize will be like waiting for the wind to calm so that you could set sail.
essay score act24 hour paper writing serviceLet us discuss the habits of persistent people especially students and young adults.
1. They have a consuming vision
Persistent people always have a goal in mind, they always have a vision of what they want to achieve at a certain point in time, it could be being the best in a particular course, getting straight As in all subject, being the best in a particular field of study, it is their vision and goal that motivates them daily, it is lastly on their mind and the first thing when they are awake in the morning. Reaching that goal becomes their focal point.
2. They have an intense desire
Persistent students always want it real bad, and they won’t allow anything come in between them and their goals. Whatever the challenge that comes that their way in achieving that goal, they always find a way around it, for example a persistent student finding a course difficult will reach out to a friend who knows and understands the course to help out, if it requires the persistent student to get an extra textbook, the textbook will be gotten. Persistent students go the extra mile to ensure they fully understand a course.
3. They are highly disciplined
Persistence students know how difficult it is to study that course when they don’t feel like, or the course seems kind of complicated. It is then they rely on their self discipline. They shun or reduce all forms of distractions(it could be excessive playing of games, watching movies, too much night parties e.t.c) and ensure that no matter what happens their focus is always towards that goal.
4. They are flexible
Some students think that persistence is all about trying the same methods over and over until they accomplish their goals but this is completely wrong! If you can’t break the wall by punching it then don’t keep punching it.
If the way you are learning or studying that course isn’t working too well, you change your pattern of reading. if you are reading in a noisy environment, you could try a quiet/ serene environment etc.
Try different patterns but ensure your focus is still on the goal Click To Tweet5. They have role models that act as guide and mentors
Persistent students have people they look up to, these are the people that motivate them when they feel less motivated. These can be people who are actually involved in their lives as mentors/confidantes or they can be figures who they have read about and who have deeply impacted them.
Now that we have looked at the habits of persistent students, let us discuss how we can be persistent in our day to day activities as students and young adults.
1. Identify what you want to accomplish and set goals.
We all know how important it is to set goals.
You can simply do this by writing down in a sheet of paper and place the paper beside your bed or in your purse, just to ensure that these goals are always staring at you.
Such goals could be having all As in semester, learning a new skill(painting, sculpting, sewing, photography) before a certain date
If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else Click To Tweet. – Lawrence J. Peter
2. Outline your steps
Outline how you want to achieve this goal, when you accomplish one step towards the goal ensure you celebrate yourself, this keeps you going and motivated
3. Prepare for Obstacles and Setbacks.
Nothing important was ever accomplished without difficulties to contend with along the way Click To Tweet
Always be prepared for setbacks and obstacles, it could be that you are finding it difficult to get that material to learn that new skill or not doing well in a test etc.
One of the ways you can prepare for setbacks and obstacles is to anticipate potential problems and have a contingency plan
4. Be Positive Always
Shun all forms of negative vibes or energy; it might not be easy to shun them, but being positive will help you when faced with obstacles and setbacks, it is that positive energy that will keep you moving. There are different ways you can get positive energy; It could be from your favourite song, exercising, hanging out with positive friends and loved ones etc.
5. Always review your steps towards the goal
If things aren’t working out as planed, review your steps, check what you have been doing wrong, check the step you could do better or improve on. If it is necessary to change some things in achieving the goal, change it, but ensure the goal is still the focal point
6. Garner support and encouragement
Stay away from negative people; instead seek advice from those experienced in your field of endeavor and those who want you to succeed. They can assist you by making suggestions and recommendations based on their experience and expertise. You will still have to do the hard work, but there is nothing more encouraging than having positive reinforcement.
7. Never Lose Focus
This is very important; never lose focus of the goal, it should always be in your mind. A good way to maintain focus is to visualize yourself accomplishing your goal no matter what it takes. Vividly see yourself accomplishing your goal – keep your eye on the prize. Likewise, avoid getting caught up in negative or unproductive thinking such as, “This will never work.” “I can’t do this.”
Having studied how we can be persistent, there is always a great joy knowing that you have overcome obstacles and conquered all adversities in achieving your set goals.
I wish us all the best in our endeavors, before I wrap the article to a close, I will love to mention great people that persisted in spite of obstacles and disabilities.
- Stevie Wonder (musician, singer) Blind
- John Hockenberry (Journalist, Author, 4 times Emmy Award Winner) Spinal Cord Injury
- Ludwig van Beethoven (composer, pianist) became deaf at the age of 30 and composed most of his beloved works after he lost his hearing.
- Helen Keller (author) was deaf and blind from the age of 19 months. She wrote 12 books, various articles and was the first blind person to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree.
- Ray Charles (musicians) Blind.
- James Earl Jones (actor) known for his booming resonant voice was once a stutterer.
- Marlee Matlin (academy award-winning actress) is deaf.
- Itzhak Perlman (virtuoso concert violinist) has legs paralyzed from polio.
- Terry Fox (runner) was an amputee from cancer.
- John Nash (Renowned American Mathematician) Schizophrenia
- Christy Brown (Poet, Painter and Author) Cerebral Palsy
- Vincent Van Gough (Painter) Mental Illness
The list is endless. If anything, courageous persistence is a must quality every young adult/student must posses to guarantee success.
Have an awesome day 🙂
Cheers
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