9 Tips on How to Persevere in Order to Succeed

Duncan Muguku by

This article discusses how to persevere and keep on going despite setbacks as well as how to persevere in order to succeed.

One of the greatest qualities of champions and successful people is perseverance.

Perseverance is a quality that creates winners. It is determining to keep on going despite facing obstacles.

You can quickly skim all the 9 tips on the table of contents below and then click on any tip to read further details. Please enjoy reading. Thank you.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. What is Perseverance?

Perseverance is determining to keep on going in the face of setbacks and challenges.

It is that inner drive that keeps you in the game when everything else says it’s time to quit.

It is resolving to put one foot after another when the finish line is nowhere in sight.

Perseverance is a series of bridges for crossing the rivers of adversity as you pursue your vision and success.

It is the staying power to follow through and exert effort till the end to achieve your goals, dreams and vision.

2. Practicing Perseverance

For most people, the typical journey to achieving success spans over a number of years sometimes even decades.

There are those lonely moments where no matter how much effort you put into your success journey you seem to be spinning wheels and there is minimal if any movement.

It is tempting to get discouraged and wonder what the point of going on is. Worse still when you look around it seems as if others are making good progress on their goals.

What should one do to keep on going? How do you cope with the frustration? How do you keep on walking in the desert when you are thirsty and there is no water in sight?

One thing to remember is that many people who have succeeded have endured hardships, challenges and failures at some point in their life.

They kept going because they were determined to make a difference in both their lives and those of others.

Should you quit when others are quitting?

Should you quit if you are not achieving your goals fast enough?

Should you quit when you face obstacles?

Should you quit when no one believes in your dreams?

Should you quit when you doubt yourself?

The answer to these questions and others similar to them lies in answering the following two questions – How much do I want to succeed in life? How hard am I willing to work for my dreams?

When your dream means everything to you and you believe that you can succeed then by all means keep on going.

3. Having a Clear Vision

There are very few overnight successes. Most people have to put in the work, put in the time and go the distance.

Your hunger for success should make you push yourself harder believing that one day you will make it.

Your perseverance sets you apart from everyone else.

Persevering is easier when you have a mental vision of where you are going.

Just like when you set out on a road trip you need to chart out in your mind a mental map of where you are going and how you will get there.

Similarly in life we need to have a mental map of what we want to achieve and accomplish for both our personal and professional lives.

A written down and clear vision helps you to be organized and it helps in aligning your short term-term and long term goals and activities.

What you want to achieve should be very clear in your mind then you find a way to get you from here to there.

4. Handling Setbacks

Keep pushing and enjoy the process of working towards your goals. Desire to succeed. Dig in.

The more you persevere, the better you become at it. When one door is closed ask – is that really the only door?

In the pursuit of success, challenges and setbacks are ever present like ocean waves lapping on a beach, the waves come and go, come and go, over and over in cycles. Sometimes the wave is hard and fast and sometimes it is soft and gentle.

When problems arise in someone’s journey to success, the magnitude of the problems can vary.

The problem can be small and manageable or great and disarming that it knocks you down or takes you off course.

These are the delicate moments where you take a pause, assess and identify the problem.

Remain calm as you analyze the situation. Whenever possible break down problems into smaller steps and figure out a plan of attack.

When you fall down find a way to get back up again. Bounce back.

On the other hand, to avoid getting overwhelmed by setbacks, it pays on a regular basis to take good care of your health.

This contributes to your ability to persevere during stressful circumstances.

By eating well, staying hydrated, exercising and resting adequately, it positions you to be sober minded in assessing challenges and their impact on your progress towards success.

5. Cultivating a Supportive Network

Ask for help when you need it.

Have a trusted confidant to talk to, open up, and share your feelings. Sometimes just talking through helps, it can also stimulate brainstorming for solutions and bouncing ideas around.

Surround yourself with a network of supporters including family, friends, colleagues and neighbors who will be your cheerleaders.

This team will support you, encourage you, check up on you and cheer you on towards the finish line.

Whenever you feel overwhelmed and anxious by how much work and time it will take to accomplish the big picture, take a moment to reflect on and appreciate the progress you have already made.

Small wins here and there are to be cherished. Visualize how good it will feel to finally succeed and let these good feelings motivate you.

At the end of it all, victory is sweeter after conquering challenges.

Don’t compare yourself with others; everyone’s journey is different instead be inspired by others. Persevere when you face critics and opposition.

6. Encouraging Yourself

The second worst offender to progress is negative thoughts – the first offender to progress is inaction. Negative self-talk is a cancer to progress.

It causes many to quit prematurely when they face disappointments.

Negativity wants you to feel sorry for yourself and doubt your abilities to succeed.

Think of yourself in a kind and positive way.

Acknowledge all the things that you like about yourself. Everyone has something special to offer the world.

Avoid the pattern of thinking that just because you failed in one thing you will fail in everything.

Struggles are a part of life.

A river forges its way by fighting rocks gradually over time until it has a well-defined path.

Remember back to when you were learning to ride a bicycle, it took determination to master balancing on a bicycle but once the pattern was learned it was firmly imprinted in one’s mind.

Similarly the mind is strengthened from tackling current challenges and you could identify familiar patterns and cycles which can be reapplied to future problem solving.

7. Dealing with Discouragement

When dealing with significant obstacles, plan to take some time out, do something different or rest then later on look at the challenges with fresh eyes and fresh perspectives.

Draw inspiration from your vision portfolio. See the images of what you want to accomplish.

When you are pursuing your big dream, acknowledge that you might make mistakes and fail.

Plan and prepare as best as you can.

Things don’t always go according to our plans. Challenges will come but know that the challenges won’t last forever.

Envisioning possible obstacles in your mind before they actually happen gives you an edge because when the actual problem happens you will be more comfortable handling it.

Your dreams, vision and goals make perseverance worth it. You are struggling but with a definite end result firmly on your mind.

On the flip side, there could also be opportunities in difficulties.

Perseverance is an ongoing process.

When dealing with discouragement keep reminding yourself of your big dream and vision of why you decided to pursue this journey.

Talk to others who have been through what you are facing. Ask them how they made it through. Learn from others. Seek advice. Seek inspiration.

Read about others who have overcome adversity and succeeded. Read inspiring quotes and watch inspiring videos. Help others as well who are facing the challenges that you have overcome.

8. Lessons Learned From Perseverance

Key lessons to learn from perseverance and handling setbacks include:

Challenges make you stronger and strengthen your ability to face and conquer more adversity in the future.

You become more confident from overcoming many difficulties.

You learn from mistakes by analyzing what went wrong and reassessing your tactics.

When facing adversity it makes you appreciate the good times.

You identify new ways to tackle tasks.

You accomplish more tasks with renewed wisdom.

You grow as a person – persevering builds your resilience and strengthens your willpower.

You become more focused in organizing and sequencing activities, and

You become a visionary person who learns what works and what doesn’t.

9. A Few Perseverance Quotes

Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody. ― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail. ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. ― John Quincy Adams

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. ― Thomas Edison

Tough times never last, but strong people do. ― Robert H. Schuller

Grit is that ‘extra something’ that separates the most successful people from the rest. It’s the passion, perseverance, and stamina that we must channel in order to stick with our dreams until they become a reality. ― Travis Bradberry

Conclusion

Takeaways/Points to Remember The more you persevere, the better you become at it. Perseverance is an ongoing process. Small wins here and there are to be cherished. Envisioning possible obstacles in your mind before they actually happen gives you an edge. Executive Summary Perseverance is determining to keep on going in the face of setbacks and challenges. It is that inner drive that keeps you in the game when everything else says it’s time to quit.

Perseverance is the staying power to follow through and exert effort till the end to achieve your goals, dreams and vision.

Perseverance is a series of bridges for crossing the rivers of adversity as you pursue your vision and success.

Additional Resources on How to Persevere in Life