My last postcorrelated how patience and persistence, while seemingly opposites, are linked together by your goals.
Being both patient and persistent is required to achieve your dreams, goals, and/or objectives.
That said … is it possible to be too patient? Too persistent?
Absolutely.
[Read more…] about Excessively Patient, Excessively Persistent
What is the one thing that connects being patient and being persistent?
Goals. And specifically … your goals.
A patient person focused on a goal doesn’t let setbacks, unforeseen challenges, or missed deadlines derail them from pursuing and achieving their dream. They may get frustrated, but they don’t give up. Patience is a friend and ally in overcoming life’s letdowns.
They are persistently patient.
[Read more…] about The Common Link between Patience and Persistence
Fifteen-plus years ago I started working professionally as a Forrest Gump impersonator/look-alike/tribute artist. I used the expression ?gump-like? thousands of times to describe a person, one of their attributes, or to define an interaction that occurred between myself and another.
Forrest Gump had many admirable and notable character traits. Forrest was persistent. Being gump-like is being persistent. Check out being gump-like Part 1 and Part 2 here.
On November 5, 2009, I wrote my first blog. On November 1, 2010, I posted my 100th blog. Today, October 18th 2011, I?m posting my 200th blog.
Here are three very important things I?ve learned from writing twice weekly.
Thank you to all who have regularly been reading my posts. Your support and comments are much appreciated.
My regular readership seems to double every six to eight months. I?m blown away!
Thanks to Cory, my new editor since January of this year for the watchful eye and fine editing skills. Working with Cory has forced me to become a better writer. And my continued thanks to Janawho both pushed me and put up with me single-handedly through the early days ? and continues to put up with me to this day. Both of you have contributed immensely to my growth as a writer.
I?m including links to eight of my blogs from the last 100 that seem extra relevant in one way or the other ? I?ll see you at 300 ? and twice weekly in between.
The past four years I?ve been steadfast in my goal to transform myself from a pure entertainer/marketer into a speaker/facilitator/consultant. I?m not fully there, but I?m well on my way.
So, have I been persistent or stubborn? The answer is yes. I?ve been both.
I?ve persisted in spite of opposition.
I?ve endured tenaciously.
I?ve insisted on reaching my goal.
That is persistence.
I?ve been stubborn in not listening to reasons ? I?m unreasonable.
I?ve been unmoving and fixed in my purpose ? I?m fixed.
I?ve been difficult to manage and refused to take no ? Don?t tell me, ?No!?
That is stubbornness.
As a society, we admire persistence.
Individually, we loathe stubbornness.
So consider this ?
Stubbornness that meets a goal is called persistence.
Persistence that falls short of a goal is called stubbornness.
Maybe the fine line between persistence and stubbornness is knowing how to bend.
Maybe the persistent are better able to adjust.
Maybe the stubborn just miss the mark.
Next Blog Title: Advice to Heed and Advice to Ignore
Next Blog Date: October 6, 2011
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Stories of Gumption is a regular column that profiles individuals who admirably demonstrate Gumption as we define it. These are the stories of real people who exhibit gumption in overcoming personal challenges, and validate the spirit of Gumption during their journey. Let?s take inspiration from those who seize 100% personal responsibility and show us how to live a life that exhibits Gump-like character traits worthy of applause!
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Last Tuesday I heard mountain climber Ed Viesturs?talk about his story. He has climbed the fourteen highest peaks in the world. These fourteen Himalayan peaks all exceed an elevation of 8000 meters (26,247 feet).
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Ed?s quest took him eighteen years to accomplish. He went on thirty expeditions and reached the summit twenty times ? including summiting Mt. Everest seven times. It?s a story of patience, persistence, and Gumption.
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Today Ed continues to climb mountains, although with a different purpose than when he was singularly focused on becoming the first American to reach all fourteen peaks without the use of bottled oxygen. That quest, which he dubbed Endeavor 8000, is chronicled in his book No Shortcuts to the Top. It?s an exciting read.
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Ed?s life story is one of Gumption. It?s more than just a story of accomplishment and persistence. It?s about presence of mind, integrity in the goal, the choices one makes, the adversity one faces, creating opportunities, communicating, and ultimately being receptive to conditions out of one?s control.
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Here are some highlights I noted from Ed?s presentation.
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