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IT PAYS TO PERSEVERE

Great Works are performed not by strength, But by Perseverance 

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 Victor Villasenor Born in the barrio of Carlsbad, California in 1940, Victor Villaseñor was raised on a ranch four miles north in Oceanside. Victor Villasenor remained illiterate until adulthood because of dyslexia. Then a woman in his native country of Mexico taught him to read. Ironically, Victor decided he wanted to become a great writer and asked god to help him fulfill his dream.

For ten years, Victor worked hard at manual labor, digging ditches and cleaning houses. As he worked, he thought of interesting characters and plots. At night, he read voraciously – devouring more than five thousand books, memorizing favorite opening lines, and analyzing literary styles. Then he started writing: nine novels, sixty –five short stories, and ten plays. He sent them all to publishers – and all were rejected. One publisher sent a two – word response: “You’re kidding.”

Instead of being discouraged. Victor was happy that the publisher had read his work! In 1972, after 260 rejections. Victor sold his first novel, Macho. He then published a nonfiction book and an award – winning screenplay. He is best known for his saga about his own family, Rain of Gold, which took twelve years to write.

Be encouraged to dream big! You can turn those dreams into reality!’

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.

Don’t Let Fear Stop You

“Everything you want is on the other side of fear” – Jack Canfield.

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T . R.” Dunn (born February 1, 1955) is an American former professional basketball player and currently an assistant coach for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

T.R was playing a terrible basketball game. He’d heard enough crowd taunts of “Airball!” and “Brick” to last him all season. He just hoped he could avoid making any more mistakes. His team was behind but gradually started to pull closer to the opposition! R kept looking to the bench, expecting his coach to pull him from the game. But the coach stuck with his lineup.

Eventually, T.R glanced at the scoreboard. His team was down by two pints. Five seconds remained, and T.R.’s team had the ball. Given his poor shooting percentage, he was sure no one would pass him the ball.

Wrong. Because of his poor shooting average, !.  R found himself wide open just behind the half – court line. A teammate fired him the ball. He looked desperately for someone to pass to, but no one was open.

As a defender charged him, T.R fired an off balance half court shot in the general direction of the basket. His shot was another brick. It bounced hard off the backboard – and through the hoop. As he accepted the congratulations from his teammates,!. R didn’t dare tell them that he almost didn’t shoot the ball at all because he didn’t want to face the prospect of missing. He merely nodded and smiled the smile of a winner.

Go FEARLESS

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F – Face the truth: Face the truth of your fears. Face what scares you head-on, and challenge your trepidation. Separate necessary concerns from baseless fears. Chances are that many of your fears are unwarranted in the greater scheme of your life. Remember, the unfortunate events which you fear will happen do not need to happen.
E – Erase negative imprints: Many times, your fears stem from your own negative experiences or from witnessing the hardships of those around you. Your fear of divorce may very well be rooted in your own parents’ divorce. What you must remind yourself daily -through simple affirmations or guided visualizations – is that your past is your past, and whatever  happened in your past, which makes you afraid today, must be dealt with and its mental imprints removed permanently.
A – Allow change: People are by nature afraid of change. They fear that change will somehow disrupt their lives or uproot them from their comfort zone. But change actually serves to transport us into new greater manifestations of ourselves. Allow necessary changes to come your way, even if they may seem frightening at first. Every instance of change serves a purpose towards your highest good, and you will learn this in time.
R – Relax: Fear can be the accumulation of too much stress or extended pressure. A hectic life with too many responsibilities results in fear of failure. It’s essential that you take time out for yourself to relax and meditate and alleviate your anxieties. So calm down, take a breather and remind yourself that you will be shown how to resolve all things.
L – Listen to your intuition: If you learn how to follow it, your intuition can banish your fears. This is because your intuition is like a mental GPS into the future, so that you can sense what’s to come, where you need to go and ease your apprehensions of what tomorrow might hold.
E – End feuds: When you fight with others, you draw fear into your relationships: fear that others will betray, hurt or abandon you. In order to nurture fearlessness, you must make peace with those around you and understand that their intentions are not to cause you harm.
S – Selectivity: You have to learn to be selective about what you want out of life and the things you decide to go after. You have to pursue things which don’t inspire fear in you and make you feel completely comfortable. Select a vision for your future and stick to that mental projection until you’ve brought it fully to life.
S – Secure in yourself: In order to shun fear forever, you have to work on your self-esteem. Fear arises from not believing enough in your own abilities and talents. When you constantly live in the mindset of “I can’t do it” or, “I’m not good enough,” you narrow your window of success to a very slim opening and inadvertently put yourself down.
Fear  is what stops you, Crushes your will to go on makes you cry alone in the night wither your beautiful dreams face your fear and break free. Find that wings that which takes so far. Find the light that shines so bright let your dreams soar so high.

Practice : A Mantra

 

Marines with the Wounded Warrior Regiment line up to shoot during archery practice at the 2012 Marine Corps Trials at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Feb. 17. More than 300 injured Marines, veterans and allies, are competing in the second annual Trials, which includes swimming, wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, track and field, archery, cycling and shooting. The top 50 performing Marines will earn the opportunity to compete in the Wounded Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., in May.

“Go & practice till you reach perfection” this was the only lesson Eklavya got from Dronacharya. He belonged to a backward clave, this made Dronacharya deny him lessons in archery. But Eklavya considered him as his Guru, made his statue & feeling the presence of his Guru he practised the art in the forest. After years of practice he turned out to be a perfect archer.

Once Dronacharya & few of his students were passing through the forest 3-4 dogs were accompanying, their bark disturbed Eklavya who was practising. The dogs moved forward from the group. After sometime the dogs returned, they had arrows stuck in their throat. There was no sign of violence or pain but their sound had ceased. They looked around for someone who might have done it but found no one. The shot was from distance. It was done only by tracing the sound.

Walking further they saw a man with a bow in his hand, they knew this was the arches they had been searching. Eklavya did not fail to recognize his Guru though his Guru did. After hearing from him what made him a good archer Guru was sure Eklavya was the best archer he had ever formed.

A woman runs on a trail silhouetted by a setting sun shrouded by fog.

Sherly had made up her mind to win Olympics when she was in school. She participated in competition & practised running. Her parents took it just as enthusiasm in childhood. But fate played its dirty trick on her, she fell ill & while recovering she realized her legs were lifeless. Her dreams to win Olympics were still alive.

After 2-3 operations & by using special type of footwear she would walk. She returned to school & continued with the studies. During the sports meet, her teacher was surprised to see her name in the list of participants. She tried to make her understand, where walking was difficult, running seemed impossible. But she was adamant. Her parents were called. They tried to explain her, but she pleaded in her innocent voice. They allowed her to participate. The race started but she could not complete. But on the 2nd day she completed.

She started practising & took part in many competitions. In 1956 she took part in Olympics & won gold medal. It was the victory over her disability.

In both the stories their dreams came true by practice. Practice made them perfect. They never gave up. There are dreams & hopes in our mind & they can be achieved only by practising.

 

Remove The Mental Blocks From Your Life

Negative statements are huge roadblocks in our personal and professional progress. Just take  a good look at these blocks and make efforts to remove them from your mindset.

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Negative statements that we use every day :

  • There’s only one right answer.
  • That’s not logical
  • Follow the rules.
  • To err is wrong.
  • That’s not my area.
  • That’s not my responsibility.

Such attitude block ingenuity and resourcefulness. They also block positive synergies that could bring dynamism into our lives.

Remember the following :

  • Be a Butterfly, not a crawling insect.
  • Soar like an eagle.
  • A turtle makes progress only when he sticks his neck out.
  • Every success story is a story of great failure too.
  • Every problem has an in-built solution.
  • Every failure teaches us something.
  • Every threat carries an opportunity.
  • Thank God for his blessings.
  • Count your blessings and not troubles.
  • Being a day with a smile.
  • We have the power to choose and can control our thoughts.
  • There are no hopeless situations; it is only people who becomes hopeless about them.

What you should do then :

  • Be creative.
  • Be innovative.
  • Be inventive.
  • Be dynamic
  • Be an optimist.
  • Take initiative.
  • Take responsibility.
  • Have courage.
  • Have determination.
  • Use your ingenuity.
  • Have a sense of humour.
  • Create positive synergies.

THE POWER OF HOPE

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A young traveller was going along a pathway in a remote area. On his way he met four unknown old ladies and he simply wished them while passing by. His wishing created furor among those four ladies. One of them named“Hunger” claimed that the young man had wished him morning and not to others as she was the most powerful among them as people could not do anything while hungry. Another lady named “Thirst” protested this claim and said, ‘people can live without food but not without water. I am thirst and most powerful among all.’ The third lady named “Sleep” contested both the claims and said,people even sleep on rocks when they feel so. They can live without food and water but not without me hence I am the most powerful.’ Fourth lady smiled and didn’t utter a word but insisted that they must ask this question as to who is most powerful among all to that Young man who had wished them and hasn’t gone away too far. They agreed and caught hold of young man soon and put him the same question. All three ladies replied what they had said before but Young mand got interested in reply of fourth lady who had not said anything. He asked, ‘ who are you and why don’t  you introduce yourself.’ Fourth lady after hearing the arguments replied that her name was Hope” and just stopped at that. Young man smiled and said, ‘there is no need to fight ladies. One can survive without food, water and sleep but not without hope. It is hope that keeps one alive and kicking in the midst of total darkness. My salute was really for this lady called ‘Hope.’ The traveler said these words and simply moved ahead.

Be patient : When it is a question of career or happiness in personal life, you’ ll do well being patient. Quick fixes, short cuts and a slapdash approach may work for some time but it’s bit suitable in the long run. The law of nature operates everything we do. A child for instance has to develop naturally over time; the process cannot be foreshortened. Similarly, crop cultivation has to be based on natural laws; you cannot expect crops to grow faster than what nature had intended them to. If you ask someone who has never done push-ups to do a hundred all at once, he won’t be able to do it. It requires tremendous patience and sustained practice.

A famous athlete who had just won an international race was congratulated by someone who said: “You were lucky to win the race”. The athlete was furious and shot back: “I practiced ten hours a day fifteen years without a single day off, and you call it luck.”

People with high self-esteem also stay away from negative influences. Parents, teachers, mentors, guides , friends and associates have a big role to play in the total and holistic development of a person.

It’s important to have high self-esteem

Writer Goethe wrote: “The greatest evil that can be fall man is that he should come to think ill of himself.” Goethe accepted  this truth about human nature. We are not defeated because we lack talent or ability; it’s the lack of confidence that brings about our downfall.

It’s all about self-esteem: the way we feel about ourselves. To say things like “I am  wrong”, “I am incompetent”, or not being sure of oneself is a clear sign of poor self-esteem. When we feel good, we make extra efforts to gain knowledge or expertise and search for effective ways to handle given tasks. Feeling good keeps us buoyant and energetic and is conducive to a mental make-up that can find solutions to problems. We begin to look at problems as challenges and consequentially convert threats into opportunities.

People with poor self-esteem tend to shirk their responsibilities. They stick to set limits and never explore new frontiers, remaining happy inside their comfort zones. They also try to get the most with the least efforts and use short cuts, quick fixes or make cosmetic changes. They usually end up in the company of their own kind, that is, people with scarcity mentality and hidden agendas.

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There are opportunities in threats : It is an acknowledge fact that people with high self-esteem are more productive, caring, humble, courageous and assertive. They accept responsibility and act accordingly. They also turn adversity into opportunity. How else how could a deaf Beethoven have created such great musical symphonies? John Milton was blind but that did not prevent him writing beautiful poetry. And cricketer Bhagvat Chandrashekhar became the finest googly bowler in the world despite a polio-afflicted arm. Such people feel good about themselves and make the best use of opportunities. They don’t lament about their physical inadequacies and handicaps.
Look for virtues in others : Benjamin Franklin was tactless in his youth but was savvier in later life. Once when he was asked about the secret of his success, he said: “I will speak ill of no man… and speak all the good I know of everybody.”
One way of feeling good is to read good biographies and associating with positive people who are uplifting, upbeat, optimistic and adventurous. People with high self-esteem avoid conflicts and backbiting and focus on good and positive things. The words that you use can make or beak relationships; a negative comment or communication can damage your individual or professional reputation. Don’t allow your destiny to be controlled by others. Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of US president Franklin D. Roosevelt, once said: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent”.

The quality of courage : 25 May 2001 was a historic day for mankind. Eric Weihenmayer  became the first blind man to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Weihenmayer, who lost his vision at the age 13, never let his blindness interface with his passion for mountaineering. He has shown such charm, resilience, passion, commitment and concern for other that it is difficult to find a better role model. In his book Touch the top of the world  — the story of his conquest of the highest peaks in the world — Weihenmayer showed the world that the barrier of blindness can be overcome if one has the will and courage to do it. According to Helen Keller: ” Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.”

Courage is the qualities. Without this quality, all other qualities have no value. True courage has its origin in truth and ethical practices, at whose core lie universal principles. It can be derived from the inner self-only. When every other light goes out, it is this inner light that shows us the path. It enlightens us, and gives us strength, character and mental toughness. Most of life’s battles are won first at the mental level; physical victory is then a mere formality.

Cultivate optimism and Hope : People with high self-esteem have vast reserves of optimism. Kentucky Fried Chicken is one of the most well-know and successful fast food chain in the world. It wasn’t  always so. Colonel Sanders, founder of KFC, had to drive from door to door, town to town, to sell his first pieces of chicken. The only response he got initially was ‘NO’ – more than a thousand times. Now, can you imagine the faith, patience, persistence and perseverance required to withstand refusal more than a thousand time ? Sanders was a great optimist and firmly believed in himself and his product; he also had the courage to persevere.

Colonel Sanders’ Success Recipe:

  • Never quit.
  • Always believe in yourself.
  • Be patient.
  • Be positive.

Get Started, persist and persevere.

Act now. Sir Thomas Buxtan once said : “With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable.” Successful people are those who act. The world is full of dreamers but dreams
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remain just dreams if they are not supported by an action plan. Winners act in their dreams and create an action plan to make them a reality. They are quick to grasp the opportunity when it knocks on their door. They are learners and work hard in whatever activity they are engaged in.

If you need to do something on an immediate basis, simply do it. When we say things like “I really should…” or “I need to do something”, it is accompanied by a feeling of anxiety caused by not having done it. Life is too short for procrastination. Get on with the work at hand and complete it before you embark on another task. Each day brings forth an opportunity to start afresh and make life fulfilling. As someone once said: “No one can predict to what heights you can soar; even you will not know until you spread your wings.” So get spread your wings.

Take calculate risks. Real winners never wait for all the lights to turn green because that never happens. They get off the block at the first opportunity. Getting started is the first step in the direction

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towards fulfilling your dreams. Winners prepare hard in advance and plan properly. Someone once said: “If you fail to plan you plan to fail.” Successful people are risk takers and make their own opportunities. According to George Bernard Shaw: “The people who get on in this world are people who get up and look for the circumstances they want and, if they can’t find them, make them,’ Success is reserved only for those who dare to venture into unknown territories. People who act see the positive in people, situations and opportunities and act accordingly. Those who risk nothing in life, risk everything .” But think and deliberate carefully before you jump the gun. A blind jump may you into mental, physical and financial misery.
Respect time. Winners always do it in time and that’s probably why they never lose. They never wait for tomorrow because tomorrow never comes. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift of God, the reason why it’s called present. Procrastinators have the habit of perennially

postponing things, be it for days, weeks, months or years. They lament and wait for the perfect day and time to do a job and spend their lifetime waiting. Nothing tangible ever happens for them.

Think of people who postpone things indefinitely on one pretext or the other. Do you think they would ever find a reason to do anything? There can be never a perfect time or day. A day is a day and one must begin to succeed. The Chinese saying that “a journey of a thousand miles beings with a single step” makes lot of sense. Those who sit on the shore waiting for a bonanza go back empty-handed. Procrastinators make New Year resolutions, only to break them the very next day. Procrastination has never helped anyone . It is a negative habit whose end result is only misfortune. Never curse the darkness; if possible light a candle.

If you wish to succeed, don’t expect anyone to deliver opportunities to your doorstep. Nothing happens by accident; you have to go out and make it happen. Action is the key word here. You are capable of doing amazing things and only you have the capacity to fulfill your dreams. Your actions are a potent force that can literally change your life. Have faith in yourself and strive to do the best. Take the responsibility and act now.

Persevere at all costs. Author Thomas Carlyle, after years of toil, had just finished writing a new book on the French revolution. The book was doubly important to him since he has also no money and was living in poverty. He gave the manuscript of the book to his friend John Stuart Mill for his comments. But one day, Mill’s maidservant used the script to light a fire. When Carlyle heard of this, he was aghast and horrified; years of toil and thought had just gone up in smoke. But he did not wring his hands and curse fate. He rewrote the entire book from start to finish. It’s only wring his hands and curse fate. He rewrote the entire book from start to finish. It’s only such perseverance that makes a winner.

Be Upbeat in your Thinking

Have you ever monitored your thoughts? In general, people don’t feel the need to do it. But it is a powerful tool to remain positive, upbeat and energetic. This way you can examine yourself and work on your thought processes. If you monitor your thoughts on a regular basis, you will be able to identify negative streams in your mind and consequently make efforts to eliminate them. Upbeat thinking requires paying constant attention to the flow of thoughts. The more you think about upbeat things, the more you become an upbeat person overall.
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Negative thoughts detrimental to upbeat thinking:
  • I can’t recollect.
  • It’s no use.
  • I don’t have enough time.
  • I am too shy.
  • Things are not happening the way I want them to.
  • I am not that fortunate.
  • I am not good at math.
  • I don’t have a good memory.
  • Nothing right ever happens to me.
  • I am always overworked in the office.
  • I feel depressed.
  • It’s impossible.
  • I hate my job.
  • If only I was smarter.
  • If only I had more money.
  • No one likes me.
  • I am totally out of place.

Think of the number of times we use these words everyday. Negative thoughts won’t help create a positive attitude and upbeat thinking. They only drain your energies and consequently make your life stressful and miserable.

Dancer Sudha Chandran is physically challenged. She overcame her innumerable problems and huge physical handicaps to become a classical dancer of repute. She programmed her mind in such a way that she could be extraordinary things. It’s all in our minds. Despite amputation of one leg, Sudha Chandran has established herself in the film line and got a reputation as an ace dancer and actor. After her injury she was unable to sleep for several nights. Nevertheless, she drew strength from the pain and pledged that she would become even stronger. On the advice of people, her father bought her a wheelchair but she did nor use it. Despite facing severe pain, she continuously practiced walking and one day she even went out for a movie with her friends. Later she was taken to a well known doctor got a foot manufactured which was of aluminum and was very light. Her leg would often bleed and as the movements of her leg became faster, the pain became more severe. At the end of every dance session, when she used to see the blood, she would start losing hope. However, her determination did not falter and she was able to control her disappointment.

Sudha is progressing well and her disability has now been left far behind. She has proved to the world that despite a disability one can touch the peak of success. She is listed among the top ten extraordinary people with disabilities. Her inspirational story has entered into school textbooks in various States of India. She had proved that no handicap, however great, however formidable, could quell the human spirit on its journey to greatness.

The Power of being Proactive

The story is told of a young couple making dinner.
The wife cuts the edges off the ham before she bakes it, and the husband asks, ‘Why do that? It seems wasteful.’‘I don’t know,’ she answers, ‘it’s what my mother always did.’ 
So they ask the mother, ‘How come you cut all the ends off the ham before you bake it?’ ‘Because that’s the way grandmother always did it,’
the mother says.So they ask the grandmother,‘Why did you always cut all the ends off the ham before you 
baked it?’
And the grandmother replies, ‘Well, that’s the only way I could get it to fit in the pan.’
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Too often we go through life never stopping to think about what we are doing or why.  We get up in the morning and go on autopilot and let it take us through the day. We react to whatever comes our way overlooking the many other choices we have available to us. As human beings we are responsible for our own lives. You are what you are today because of the choices you made yesterday.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those who take responsibility and act and those who only react. On an average, 90 percent of people react whereas only 10 percent act. People who react fail to take up responsibility. They develop a negative mindset and fail to take initiative in their lives.
People who take responsibility control their lives and hence their destinies. They don’t blame luck, destiny or external environment when they fail and are driven by their own values rather than behaviour of other people. Proactive people take initiative and look beyond the immediate. They have the will, determination, discipline, commitment, passion and courage to pursue their dreams. Other’s feelings, behaviour and the external environment, on the contrary, drive people who react.