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Persistence
Pursing Excellence In Everyday Life
ŠLee Wise 2002,2003
I "PLACED"...
I couldn't believe it -- I placed. My first swim meet.
I felt GREAT!!
In fact, I felt so great that I decided to join South Bend's
local AAU swim team.
Me, an AAU swimmer.
The more I swam the more I was enjoying myself. I could see myself "winning."
A PROBLEM
One problem: I also made the freshman football team.
Normally, that would not be a difficulty except for one
thing ...
I knew I couldn't be excellent in both sports.
A DECISION TO FOCUS
I said --
"I'm going to swim and that's it. No more football."
And that's exactly what I did.
For the next four years I swam. I swam during the normal
swim season and I swam in the summer.
I was relentlessly persistent.
LET'S STOP AND THINK
Persistence is a combination of these forces working
together.
*Our desires.
*Our commitment.
*And a series of decisions to act.
Persistence is the "fuel" that propels us toward achieving
what we value most in life.
I KNEW WHAT I WANTED
Back to my story.
I had a *strong* desire.
I wanted to win. I wanted to be on that starting block,
hear the gun fire, hit the water ...
And win!
I MADE A COMMITMENT
But I knew it would take one thing: commitment.
I made the commitment to work like crazy because I wanted to *excel* at my sport.
And that's exactly what I did.
I FOLLOWED UP MY COMMITMENT WITH ACTIONS
Day in and day out I swam.
I took a job in the summer with my coach at a local country club so I could work out under his guidance *before* my
actual work day began.
I decided to swim when I felt good.
I decided to swim when my gut hurt.
I decided to swim -- period.
AND I LOST!
Yep, I lost.
I didn't get first in state. I lost to the same guy by a
tenth of a second two years running.
I didn't like the second place medal at the time. I have to
be honest about that.
But...
I have also come to realize something: I *was* in
the top three.
Why?
Because of persistence.
There is great value in being persistent. I took the time
and effort to develop one of the talents I have been given.
LET'S REVIEW
Remember the three "forces" of persistence.
1. A strong desire.
2. A firm commitment.
3. A series of decisions to act.
GIVE IT A TRY
Persist
Don't kill yourself trying.
I call that nuts.
But do try!
Persist
*Focus on what you value and desire.
*Make a commitment.
*Decide to act.
Then ...
Take one or more simple steps of action toward that goal
which is SO important to you.
Do it today.
Yours for a day filled with beautiful moments in time,
Lee
P.S. Why not take a moment -- just a moment -- and renew or reinforce a decision to work of something that is
of great value to you?
May I encourage you to never give up working on the aspects of your life you value the most?
-------------------------------
Lee is a seminary administrator, has a part-time business
at home, and writes two motivational ezines: "A Beautiful
Moment In Time" and "Hope For Daily Living." Permission
is given to distribute article. This paragraph must be
included. Email: Lee@seariches.net
Link: http://www.seariches.net
This article provided by the Family Content Archives at: http://www.Family-Content.com
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