Tenacity

When you listen to a motivational talk or read any of the millions of self-help books available today, you feel like you could climb Mount Everest, your heart pumps with the thrill of positive expectations and the awareness of your possibilities, and in a spontaneous burst of energy, you set out to pursue your El-Dorado!

Anybody can set up dreams, goals, and strategies in a moment of great motivation and inspiration, yet the reality of life is that it’s a marathon, not a hundred meters dash. The real issue is how far you will go with your new found zeal.

Some tough, rough, and turbulent times lie down the road. They will not let anyone pass except the most tenacious, diligent, and persistent ones.

It’s so easy to have a dream and initiate action with a sudden burst of energy. However, between that starting point and the finish line are twists and turns, mountains and valleys; the journey is so far and tough that mere abilities, and intelligence will not do. Tenacity, or rugged persistence, is a more desirable quality in the journey of life.

Tenacity enables you to appreciate the challenges of the journey and enjoy the learning process. Consequently, each twist and turn, each up and down, becomes another sweet episode of your life’s adventure.

Tenacity prepares you for any outcomes, such that both negatives and positives serve your ultimate purposes. Tenacity positions you to look beyond the immediate and pursue the ultimate. It’s a very powerful position to be in.

Tenacity is the most critical element of greatness

Tenacity – the capacity to persist in your hardwork, strategies, and plans – is the most critical element of greatness.

A lot of people do not understand the true nature of talent. Genuine talent is two dimensional; on one side is the special ability to to something, on the other side is the drive and passion to work hard at that ability towards a desired goal. This is why I often like to define talent as the passion to work hard and tenaciously at something. Talent is therefore more than a special ability.

It is this two dimensional mix of talent that sets up one for personal success and achievements.

Most of us have dreams, or at least some form of desire for a better reality. We possess one ability or the other. But dreams and abilities are really meaningless without tenacity.

What do you do when you encounter the unexpected twists and turns of life? Would you rather plunge into a self-pity-party, and begin to feel sorry for yourself. Majority would eventually abandon their dreams permanently, never to return.

You can’t get through the ‘testing phases’ of your personal success journey if you lack tenacity.

The real challenges are:

Would you continue with that blog regardless of persistent low traffic and poor earnings?
Would you continue with that project even when it appears to be failing?
Would you continue with that relationship even when it seems like they are unfruitful?
Would you continue with those plans and strategies even when their yields are frustratingly sluggish?

Without tenacity, you’ll quit before the end of the journey.

Testing phases

Life is full of what I refer to as ‘testing phases’. These are seasons of frustrating difficulties along the path of pursuing your life’s dreams. These seasons are usually accompanied by:

• Disappointments
• Rejection, criticisms, betrayals, and misunderstanding from others.
• Delayed expectations and results.
• Doubts, fears, and uncertainties.

During the testing phase, it is how you see – or your attitude – that counts. Tenacity is usually an offspring of a ‘high altitude’ awareness of life’s realities; in other words, the understanding that negatives are merely disguised positives.

So, what are you going to do during the testing phases of your life? How do you interpret and respond to set-backs? What stuff are you really made of? Do you get bitter and resentful? Do you begin to whine and murmur? Or do you tenaciously pursue your goals with a good attitude?

Tenacity makes all the difference between success and failure.

So, don’t quit, hold on, persevere till the very end!