I love this time of year. The excitement of the new year has faded and our goals have been taking shape in a tangible ways for almost two seasons now. In addition to persistence, something that always moves me intorightaction is gratitude. I have learned that persistence and gratitude together keep me moving forward in a purposeful way.
 

Gratitude is a magnetizing attitude that puts you in the highest form of vibration in order to attract what you need to reach your goals and dreams. Persistence keeps you on track through the peaks and valleys that you may face on your journey.
 

What essential qualities are you lacking to be successful? We are thrust into challenges daily from which either winners or losers emerge. What makes the winner win and the loser lose? Persistence is key. If you are persistent in spite of how slowly you may have to move in the beginning, success will come. Without persistence, we cannot achieve any noteworthy success.

Unsuccessful Entrepreneurial Habits

In  Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill lists 16 symptoms of the lack of persistence:

1. Failure to recognize and to clearly define exactly what one wants. If you are struggling in this area, you have not defined your purpose.

2. Procrastination, with or without cause (usually backed up with a formidable array of alibis and excuses).Many people have “justifiable reasons” for not doing certain things (short on time; short on money, etc.). The only thing worse than an excuse is a GOOD excuse. Too many people have too many “good” excuses!

3. Lack of interest in acquiring specialized knowledge.What tends to prohibit people most in acquiring specialized knowledge is a low self-image. To learn anything requires a certain degree of confidence. You have to have a relatively decent self-image that you have the ability to learn what you need to. However, if you have too little confidence, you will think you are incapable of learning. If you have too much confidence, worse yet, you will think you do not need to learn anything! In all actuality, people who suffer from a low self-image do not need to know HOW to do the specific or specialized task. However, they do need to know how to find someone else who can.

4. Indecision, the habit of passing the buck on all occasions instead of facing issues squarely. (Also backed by alibis).  Indecision is one of the nails in the coffin of desire and achievement.

5. The habit of relying upon alibis instead of creating definite plans for the solution of problems. Many are in the habit of putting things off rather than taking care of them immediately. As previously discussed in Chapter 7 on “Decision”, Hill states that every successful person “had the habit of REACHING DECISIONS PROMPTLY and changing these decisions slowly, if and when they were changed. People who fail to accumulate money, without exception, have the habit of reaching decisions, IF AT ALL, very slowly and of changing these decisions quickly and often.”

6. Self-satisfaction. There is but little remedy for this affliction, and no hope for those who suffer from it.

7. Indifference, usually reflected in one’s readiness to compromise on all occasions, rather than meet opposition and fight it.  This addresses our willingness to surrender or coward away from issues we may face related to our goals.

8. The habit of blaming others for one’s mistakes, and accepting unfavorable circumstances as being unavoidable. Many businesses are guilty of doing this (e.g.. “this thing happened and it was out of our control“. Although there are things that happen that are out of our control, many of us have relied on that excuse far too often during our lives. If we really want to be honest with and challenge ourselves, we need to take a long hard look at this habit.

9. WEAKNESS OF DESIRE, due to neglect in the choice of MOTIVES that impel action. People who are struggling or suffering from this need to refer back to Chapter 3 in  Think and Grow Rich  on “Autosuggestion”.

10. Willingness, even eagerness, to quit at the first sign of defeat. (This is based upon one or more of the six basic fears).

11. Lack of ORGANIZED PLANS, placed in writing where they may be analyzed.

12. The habit of neglecting to move on ideas, or to grasp opportunity when it presents itself.

13. WISHING instead of WILLING. Note that “willing” does not mean by force. It means to accomplish and move in the direction of whatever it is that we want by use of focused and concentrated effort.

14. The habit of compromising with POVERTY instead of aiming at riches. General absence of ambition to be, to do, and to own.

15. Searching for all the short-cuts to riches, trying to GET without GIVING a fair equivalent, usually reflected in the habit of gambling, endeavoring to drive “sharp” bargains. Bob Proctor says that he never negotiates–he is not in search of a bargain. He feels that he offers a fair price and others ask a fair price of him.

16. FEAR OF CRITICISM, failure to create plans and to put them into action, because of what other people will think, do, or say. This enemy belongs at the head of the list, because it generally exists in one’s subconscious mind, where its presence is not recognized.

Hill says that the above weaknesses are the real enemies standing between you and noteworthy achievement. He also provides four simple steps to begin turning things around.

Developing the HABIT of Persistence

Participate in any discussion about what all successful people have in common and persistence is always mentioned as one of the most important factors in their success.  Often the only difference between those who succeed and those who don’t is the ability to keep going long after the rest have dropped out. You will need:

1. A definite purpose backed by a burning desire

2. A definite plan EXPRESSED in continuous ACTION

3. A mind closed to ALL negativity and discouragement

4. A friendly alliance with one or more persons who will encourage you. (This last point is really a Mastermind Group. I form new Mastermind groups quarterly. We are encouraging each other to set and achieve our goals. Anyone want to experience this for themselves? Simply drop me a line for the details).

You will only uncover riches when you establish definite plans, back them by definite desires and inspired action, and being persistence.

Calvin Coolidge said:

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not. Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not. Unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not. The world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.