Life Lesson

Perseverance

 

The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places.  ~Author Unknown

 

It is easy to give up on a good idea. It is easy to give up on your destiny. Everything in this world is trying to stop you from finishing the course. Gravity is trying to stop you. Time and your age are trying to stop you. The devil is trying to stop you. Because of these things that try to pull you down, the cost to finish can at times be overwhelming. So accordingly it is important to count the cost before acting upon any life changing actions. It is important to get a “word from God” before embarking on major destiny moves. Starting a business is a MAJOR MOVE. It is not to be taken lightly.

 

As stated earlier, business has cost people their marriages, family relationships, houses, cars and more. This is all the more reason to fully count the cost of a business project.

 

Count the cost before building the tower.

 

    1. 28For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it-- 29lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30saying, "This man began to build and was not able to finish.'

 

  1. Many people stop before they finish the task. They get a God word and do not finish.
    1. Abram’s father got a “God word” and did not finish. Luckily his son Abram did finish.
    2.  Gen 11:31-32 31And Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram's wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there. 32So the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran.

 

  1. Paul complained of this fact in 2 Tim 4:10

 

    1. 9Be diligent to come to me quickly; 10for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica

 

  1. Paul was one that knew how to persevere in his business, in his calling.

 

    1. 2 Cor 11:22-29    22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 23Are they ministers of Christ?--I speak as a fool--I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness-- 28besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. 29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

 

 

Before Paul met Barnabas. He failed quite a bit. Luke only records on of the three Roman scourgings at Philipi, Act 16:22 and the stoning that takes place at Lystra, Acts 14:19 So that leaves

 

5 times given 40 -1

2 times beaten with rods

3 times shipwrecked

Night and day in the deep.

 

Most scholars believe the above happened during his time in Syria and Cilicia. This was before he met Barnabas who took him under his wing and mentored him. There is no record of Paul planting churches and making a profound effect upon the church before he meets Barnabas. 

 

 

  1. Perseverance moves beyond the “spiritual”. It should be applied to all aspects of our life including business. Work Ethic from a Christian Perspective.

 

    1. Proverbs 6:6-11 6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! 7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, 8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. 9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest- 11 and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

 

    1.  2 Tim 2:1-7 1You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. 3Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs–he wants to please his commanding officer. 5Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. 6The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

 

    1. These three careers all have something in common; they require the men to do their job regardless of how they feel at the time or what their opinion may be regarding the job at hand.

 

                                                            1.            A Soldier cannot stop fighting. He will either die or be court-marshaled.

                                                            2.            An athlete doesn’t quit in the middle of the race or the football game. He trains his/her whole life for that one event. In some sports, to quit means to never be invited back or let go from the team completely.

                                                            3.            A Farmer cannot stop during harvest. A lot of money and time is put into the ground by way of seeds and hard work. When harvest comes the farmer needs to be in the field or risk losing everything. There is no time to slack

 

  1. Perseverance will not allow you to cut corners

 

    1. It is easy to begin to cut corners when you grow tired or weary. You begin to make mistakes because of weariness. It is at these times that extra caution must be exercised.

 

1.      Story of expert builder and the keys to the house

a.       Wanted to retire

b.      Owner wants one more house expertly built

c.       Retiree cuts a few corners to finish faster

d.      End result?

 

Probably the greatest example of perseverance is Abraham Lincoln. Born into poverty, Lincoln was faced with defeat throughout his life. He lost eight elections, twice failed in business and suffered a nervous breakdown. He could have quit many times - but he didn't and because he didn't quit, he became one of the greatest presidents in the history of our country. Lincoln was a champion and he never gave up. Here is a sketch of Lincoln's road to the White House:

 

·         1816: His family was forced out of their home. He had to work to support them.

·         1818: His mother died.

·         1831: Failed in business.

·         1832: Ran for state legislature - lost.

·         1832: Also lost his job - wanted to go to law school but couldn’t get in.

·         1833: Borrowed some money from a friend to begin a business and by the end of the year he was bankrupt. He spent the next 17 years of his life paying off this debt.

·         1834: Ran for state legislature again - won.

·         1835: Was engaged to be married, sweetheart died and his heart was broken.

·         1836: Had a total nervous breakdown and was in bed for six months.

·         1838: Sought to become speaker of the state legislature - defeated.

·         1840: Sought to become elector - defeated.

·         1843: Ran for Congress - lost.

·         1846: Ran for Congress again - this time he won - went to Washington and did a good job.

·         1848: Ran for re-election to Congress - lost.

·         1849 Sought the job of land officer in his home state - rejected.

·         1854: Ran for Senate of the United States - lost.

·         1856: Sought the Vice-Presidential nomination at his party’s national convention - got less than 100 votes.

·         1858: Ran for U.S. Senate again - again he lost.

·         1860: Elected president of the United States. And forever changed the course of U.S. history.

Excerpts from “Perseverance is the Key to Success” by Carole Kanchier [1]

Remember that making mistakes is part of learning.

Perseverance is the key to success. After thousands of efforts to make the electric light bulb, Thomas Edison said, “I haven’t failed, I’ve identified 10,000 ways that it doesn’t work.”

Acquiring a desired job or promotion, or succeeding at business may present difficulties. But this is part of the learning process. Ultimately, people who persevere become successful. They learn from mistakes.

Do you persevere? Or, after meeting rejection or difficulties, do you quit?

Test Your Perseverance Quotient
Rate yourself – on a scale of one to three, one being low and three being high – on each of the following:

  1. I believe in myself.
  2. I have clear career goals.
  3. I address my limitations.
  4. I bounce back from disappointment.
  5. I have the stamina to persist.
  6. My family and friends support me in my pursuit of goals.
  7. I can adapt to change.
  8. I focus and complete projects.
  9. My goals are consistent with my purpose and values.
  10. I can take unpopular actions when I believe I’m right.

Add your scores. The higher your score, the more perseverant you are. 30 is the highest.

Tips for Persevering

  1. Clarify your goal. Base it on your mission/passion, needs and abilities. Know why you want your goal and how you and others will benefit.

    State your goal in the present. Write desired outcomes, what you want to accomplish. Be detailed, specific, and positive.
  2. Intend to achieve you goal. Outline goal, strategies and timeline. Know resources that can help you attain your goal, such as people, associations and the Internet. Break the goal into small steps, working backward form your desired outcome and achievement date.
  3. Develop support systems. Meet regularly with positive, encouraging people who support your goals and celebrate your achievements. Select other sources of positive reinforcement such as books or tapes with uplifting themes.
  4. Choose productive attitudes and behaviors. Don’t dwell in the past, worry about what might happen or view yourself as a victim.

    Maintain optimism. Reinforce the positive in yourself and others. Expect good things. Watch self-talk. Replace negative thoughts or statements with positive ones. Keep a diary of each day’s good experiences.

    Focus on what you can do. Acknowledge your accomplishments. Judge your accomplishments against personal standards of self-improvements.

    Have the courage of your convictions. Don’t change for others or compare yourself with others.
  5. Develop the will to risk. Don’t fear mistakes. Ask: ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’ Decide whether you could live with the worst or take steps to reduce the chance of it happening.

    Research your goal to reduce negative outcomes. For example, interview successful people who have achieved similar goals. Learn from their mistakes.

    Live in the present. Don’t worry about what might happen. View mistakes as opportunities to grow.

    Let go of attachments. The more attached you are to something, the greater the fear of losing it.
  6. Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Care for you mind, body, emotions and spirit. Schedule quiet times to think and reassess. Practice stress relievers such as deep breathing, exercise, meditation. Get sufficient sleep, eat healthy. Take time for fun and friends.
  7. Practice imagery. Imagine yourself living your goal today. Hold your desired outcome firmly in your mind. See, smell, touch and hear aspects of your goal. Each morning upon rising, review your goal. Repeat the process at night.

Persist. Focus on goals daily. With every “no” of defeat you’re closer to a “yes” of success. If you learn from set-backs and stay on course, success will follow. Every day, at regular intervals, ask yourself whether your activities are helping you attain your goal.

Believe you’ll attain your goal. Persevere. When your mind, emotions and activities focus on your goal, you can achieve the extraordinary.

 

Finally:

 

A man meets a guru in the road. The man asks the guru, "Which way is success?" The robed, bearded sage speaks not but points to a place off in the distance. The man, thrilled by the prospect of quick and easy success, rushes off in the appropriate direction. Suddenly, there comes a loud "Splat!!!" as he hits defeat. Eventually, the man limps back, tattered and stunned, assuming he must have misinterpreted the message. He repeats his question to the guru, who again points silently in the same direction. The man obediently walks off once more. This time the splat is deafening as he hits defeat once again. When the man crawls back, he is bloody, broken, and tattered.

 

"I asked you which way is success," he screams at the guru. "I followed the direction you indicated. And all I got was splatted! No more of this pointing! Talk!" Only then does the guru speak, and what he says is this: "Success is that way. Just a little after the splat."

 


[1] http://www.secretsofsuccess.com/article/ckperseverance.html