Our last principle that we are highlighting this week seems the most simplistic on the surface, but requires the most personal strength of all: persistence.
Knowing that I have already made changes in my life that will last forever, today I insert the final piece of the puzzle. I posses the greatest power ever bestowed upon mankind, the power of choice. Today, I choose to persist without exception. I know the outcome I desire. I hold fast to my dreams. I stay the course. I do not quit. I will persist without exception. I will continue despite exhaustion. I compare myself to my potential. I am not average. I see exhaustion as a precursor to victory. By persisting without exception, my outcome-my success- is assured. I will persist without exception. I focus on results. To achieve the results I desire, it is not even necessary that I enjoy the process. It is only important that I continue the process with my eyes on the outcome. An athlete does not enjoy the pain of training; an athlete enjoys the results of having trained. A young falcon is pushed from the nest, afraid and tumbling from the cliff. The pain of learning to fly cannot be an enjoyable experience, but the anguish of learning to fly is quickly forgotten as the falcon soars to the heavens. I will persist without exception. I am a person of great faith. In Jeremiah, my Creator declares, ‘For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ From this day forward, I will claim a faith in the certainty of my future. I have faith in my future. I do not look to the left or right. I look forward. I can only persist. For me, faith will always be a sounder guide than reason because reason can only go so far-faith has no limits. I will expect miracles in my life because faith produces them every day. I will believe in the future that I do not see. That is faith. And the reward of this faith is to see the future I believed. I will continue despite exhaustion. I focus on results. I am a person of great faith. I will persist without exception.
Excerpt taken from The Traveler’s Gift
Persistence: do you have what it takes? Do you have the courage and faith to persist without exception? This, to me, is the crux on which the other 6 decisions rest. I could fulfill decisions 1 through 6 to the ‘T’ but if I don’t persist without exception it would be all for not. Do you persist? Do you wake up each day knowing that within this day are new adventures and challenges? New people to meet and new places to see. New ideas to be had and new goals to be achieved! Do you wake up each day knowing that you must persist without exception? This persistence is not measured by others. It’s not even really measured by achieving goals or accomplishments. No, this persistence is measured and compared within. Did you give EVERYTHING you had today? Did you persist beyond what your mind told you? Did you pursue beyond your imagination? Just dream for a moment. Dream about what your life would look like if you persisted WITHOUT exception. What would your life be like? I think deep down you know the answer. I think deep down there’s something pulling on your soul, screaming out ‘persist! persist! persist!’ The reward of your persistence is seeing your dreams become reality. But friend, this can only happen through diligent persistence.
Tags: accomplishments, books, change, courage
