Perseverance is an easy concept to think about, 'toughing it out', 'to keep putting in' easily spring to mind and we all somehow believe or sense we have enough to get us through most situations. Most women who have been through childbirth have direct experience of it, most men who have undergone hard physical training also know more of what they are capable of than those who haven't (at least physically)
The difficulty arises when we need it the most, when we're actually in that ongoing, hard, difficult situation and lose that clarity and can't see the wood for the trees. When we're tired, stressed, don't have enough money, and other situations when we're in extreme discomfort. Neurologically, we go into our back brain - the alligator brain, pure reflex 'kill or be killed' sort of stuff. And we do that because the higher centres, of clear rational thinking and sensitive feeling are under threat and will eventually shut down almost completely if the 'threat' continues for too long. I think this partly explains the fear-based attitude society currently has on the economic situation (but that's a whole other blog!)
So obviously in business, as in life, a certain amount of perseverance is required and the more the better. It optimises your chances of being able to go beyond 'survive' into 'thrive', to get through those inevitable difficult times with less stress and discomfort, which again optimises your ability to maintain a cool head, responsive feeling and creative intuition when you need those qualities the most. And thats how you are able to become more and more successful
As many of you know, I have been teaching and learning the Japanese non-aggressive martial art of Aikido for some 21 years now. Physically, Aikido is a throwing and joint-locking self-defense art. So that's 21yrs of being thrown down to the mat over and over - and getting up for more. 21yrs of having every joint in my body twisted, turned, manipulated and placed into positions of varying degrees of extreme pain again and again - and coming back the next day to do it all over again.
Am I mad? maybe - (but thats another blog!) I do it because Aikido teaches me far more than the small price of temporary pain. It tends to attract people who are thoughtful and like-minded (like Kurek), it is non-competitive and there are no tournaments, so we all do it purely for our own personal development. And in terms of perseverance, well, I can't think of anything better. We train in the heat, the cold and everything in between ... with raw uncoordinated beginners and simply amazing masters of the art who could literally kill with their bare hands ... when every cell in our body is screaming in pain or discomfort and we STILL haven't learnt the technique properly ...when you get thrown onto the mat sometimes awkwardly sometimes like you've been hit by a truck ... well I think I've learned a thing or two about perseverance ...
And here are some ideas about how I think this crucial human quality can be developed:
1/ Goals - seems obvious doesn't it and it is ... why should you put yourself through hell for no reason? no way. As Kurek often says 'your goals drive you forward' and the more value you place on your goal/s then the more willing you are to endure periods of discomfort in order to achieve it/them
2/Awareness - when you find yourself moving into a period of stress or discomfort, bring your awareness to it as soon as possible and do some positive self-talk. For example, that you have endured many other stresses before and you understand how to de-stress yourself, you know the process, even if that process is just time and waiting it out. That perhaps there was something you were telling yourself or imagining that brought this situation on in the first place and now you can go about correcting that. Bring your awareness to HOW you endure or persevere, what works, what doesn't, what's different. And most importantly, what are you now learning? about yourself, your life and others?
3/Support - EVERYONE at some time or other has been an alligator in the swamp of Despair and even though it may feel like it, you are not alone, there is bound to be another alligator in there somewhere who you can cooperate and share ideas with. Or better still find an eagle who USED to be an alligator and find out what they did to become an eagle and fly so high. The knowledge that you have teamates, companions and mentors is absolutely huge and its a genius strategy to never NOT ask for help/support/assistance/friendship
4/Practice - sounds strange I know, but if you always stay in your comfort zone, then by default, it will automatically shrink, because everything else around you is expanding, getting faster and more complex and the larger your comfort zone the more you can take Life in and enjoy it. One of the best ways to do this is to find something that you enjoy, but which stretches you at the same time. Hardcore team sports is perfect as you'll be put into difficult situations AND at the same time be relied upon but you'll also have your teamates all going through the same thing to support you. Then bring that awareness, confidence and certainty into your identity of who you are (I am...) as someone who can endure and persevere hardship in life whenever necessary.
To find something where you get to PRACTICE difficulty and discomfort (and even 'failure') in a supportive environment that also coaches you how to manage it is a gift, because it changes who you are and your idea of yourself and helps make your life larger. I think you'll agree that having confidence and certainty in your ability to persevere is a WHOLE lot better than hoping you'll be ok at the time!
Yoga, the gym, even meditation or playing chess will do the same work if you apply your awareness to it, of expanding your resilience skills, of HOW you endured.
So thanks for taking the time to read all this and I hope it helps or at least gives you something to think about
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