Are You Being Persistent Enough?

Being persistent is often defined as dogged determination, not letting go of a dream or ideal, giving it all you’ve got.  Another definition of persistent is refusing to give up in the face of obstacles or opposition. What do they mean to you, though?

Here is a favorite quote of mine by Edward Eggleston about being persistent.

“Persistent people begin their success where others end in failure.”

When you are persistent, you keep on going…remember the Energizer Bunny commercial, the little pink rabbit banging the drum…and he just kept going and going…that is being persistent!

I am not suggesting that you can be like that pink bunny…and please remember this…keeping going does not mean putting you or others at risk…there must be a reasonable amount of self care taken.

How Do You Know Lack of Persistence is a Problem?

There are a few ways to see the lack of being persistent in your life.

You have projects that are left undone.

You are very consistent at not reaching your goals, even the small ones.

You have had the same goals for years (weight loss, anyone?)

You have debt and/or your finances are a mess.

Your life does not match your dreams.

Yes, dreams and goals take time to achieve.  However, if you have had the SAME goals for years and you have not achieved them, then being persistent might be a problem for you.  The thing is, if you are consistently good at not achieving what you want, then you are not being persistent about getting what you want.

What’s Holding You Back From Being Persistent?

If you are having difficulty being consistent at any tasks in your life or persistent in achieving a reasonable, SMART goal, these factors may be at play.

Deep inside of our brains, there is a primal system that can be activated when we are in a high stress or threatening situation. It is wired into our nervous systems and is commonly referred to as the “flight” or “fight” system.  

When faced with a high stress situation or a threatening situation, our brain has three choices.  It can freeze and do nothing, stay and fight, or it can make you run.

Either way, when that happens, it is like there are alarm bells ringing through out your body.  This can generate several different fear responses.

Procrastination is a biggie, isn’t it?

One of the responses to the fight or flight alarm bell system is freezing. Procrastination is a “stuck” state…freezing…see that? That’s right.  When people procrastinate, they do so because of an underlying fear that generates that response. In essence, when stuck in fear and procrastination, it is like being a deer caught in the headlights.  They can’t move forward…at all.

Limiting beliefs lead people to inconsistencies

When limiting beliefs come into play, the way a person thinks narrows.  The thinking becomes like seeing through a long tunnel, with walls that curve over the top.  A person can’t see the big picture or the light at the end of the tunnel.

Negativity is a huge barrier to being persistent

It is very difficult to be persistent when one is in a negative mindset. Even if you are being successful, even if you are baby stepping your way to a brighter future, negative self talk sabotages.

What DO You Want to be Persistent About?

What is the something that if you could be, do or have it, would make your heart sing? Do you know what that is?  When you do…and deep inside…you do know, don’t you?

Set up strategies that will actually work and move you forward

Set reasonable goals…and remember this…your present reality is the default setting, the life you get when you are not actively pursuing the life you really want. Our brains are always seeking a goal, whether you set one consciously or not.

• Say yes to the life you want
• Say yes to your goals
• Say yes to being better than you ever thought you could be
• Say yes to being magnificent
• Say yes to being persistent
• Say yes to allowing

….because you deserve to succeed, don’t you?

“Drive your own life…you deserve to, don’t you?”  Sherie Venner

Image Credit: Luz Adriana Villa A.

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Sherie

I am a Relationship Coach who helps others create happy, healthy, loving relationships…including the relationship they have with themselves…by breaking through those blocks and barriers to success. I use various techniques gathered through training as a Master Practitioner of NLP, timeline, hypnosis and common sense gathered through life experience.

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