Persevere (verb): to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly.
Have you ever been faced with an exceedingly difficult challenge, something so huge that the problem felt insurmountable? Or, maybe you’d set a lofty goal for yourself and realized once you committed to it that you’d bit off more than you can chew. If you are like most people, then yes, you have experienced these types of life challenges.
Real life can be real rough, and it’s during those setbacks, or when facing what seems like unreachable goals, that we must make a choice: Do we sit in the corner and cry or do we rise to the challenge?
Positive perseverance is all about taking action. It means summoning fortitude and also maintaining a positive attitude while forging ahead to tackle a problem. That all sounds great, but in real life how exactly do we stay strong and positive? What is the secret to cultivating perseverance? If you question whether you have the grit and determination to conquer a difficult life challenge, read on.
Mustering the Power to Persevere
Understand that there is no secret sauce for helping you persevere when life throws a curveball. Finding the motivation to stay the course and accomplish a feat is something you have to muster up from deep inside. Consider these helpful hints to get the ball rolling:
- Get cracking. Perseverance requires you to make the needed effort if you’re going to achieve the goal or overcome the setback. Realize that no one is going to do the work for you, so get busy.
- Make a road map. Set some clear goals and stay accountable to them. Make sure your goals are realistic, and set short-term and long-term benchmarks. Be sure to reward yourself as you meet them.
- Practice self-care. You won’t be able to persevere if you are depleted, so get regular exercise, keep a consistent sleep schedule, and avoid the foods you know are not good for you.
How to Keep a Positive Outlook: 5 Tips
All right, so we’ve determined that perseverance demands action, planning, and some self-care—but what about maintaining that positive attitude? Try these 5 tips for achieving positive perseverance:
- Believe in yourself. If you believe in yourself—in your own abilities, strengths, intellect, and talents—you have already conquered half the battle. If you need to, make a list of all your attributes and keep it handy for the duration.
- Have a support system. As they say, “No man is an island.” Do not rely solely on your own strengths when facing an outsized problem or lofty goal. Access the support of people who have the needed expertise, or who can offer you emotional support.
- Find sources of motivation. No one in on fire with determination and confidence 24/7! To keep moving forward, day after day, you will need a little motivation or inspiration. Read a daily devotional, access a motivational app on your phone, or watch some Ted Talks to keep your fire burning.
- Develop a growth mindset. Understand the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset, and then pick the growth mindset. A growth mindset is an attitude that embraces learning, stretching, and growing as an individual. A fixed mindset is stuck in the status quo and is not open to personal growth.
- Envision success. If you can visualize yourself triumphing over a particular adversity, or accomplishing that lofty goal, you are well on your way. Seeing yourself as successful in your mind’s eye will perpetuate that “can do” attitude.
Perseverance is like a muscle; the more you use it the stronger it becomes. As you find yourself able to face challenges without crumbling, and in actually succeeding, you build resilience. You also build self-confidence, and that in itself is incredibly empowering.
