There is no denying that along the path to success there are many obstacles, and there will be tough times along the way. If anyone ever gives you a "secret" to success that they say involves no pitfalls and no struggle or work, they are either lying to you or they have never actually tried it for themselves. There is one principle you must be aware of if you are to get past these hard times, and that is "stickability". This is the ability to "stick to it" and keep going no matter what.
I love this speech by Charles "Tremendous" Jones:
"Stickability is Tremendous"
"Stick by it, die by it, never give up. We need to burn the word "stickability" into our hearts. There is a plague sweeping the world, it is now reaching epidemic proportions. It's better known as the Quitters Disease. Everywhere I go I hear the phrase, in many different tones I QUIT - I QUIT - I QUIT. I expect to be greeted by some overwhelming, happy associate each time I return to the office with a great big -I QUIT. The problem with most people is that they don't realize what the problem is. I remember how I always wanted to quit. In fact, that's why I worked so hard to become successful so that I wouldn't have to go through that agonizing wanting to quit all the time. Then, finally, I became a success, and to my surprise, I wanted to quit anyway. I then learned that the human being hits psychological lows two or three times a year, and wants to quit for no reason at all. Of course, the real problem was in wanting to quit, because the more I would want to quit, the more I would want to quit, and the more I would want to quit, the more I was afraid I was going to quit, and I didn't want to quit, I just wanted to want to quit. Finally, one day I discovered the difference between quitting and wanting to quit. I then decided I would never quit, and now I enjoy quitting all the time, because I know I'm not going to QUIT. Sometimes someone will ask, "You mean you can't ever quit?" That's right, you can die, retire or get fired, but that's it. Of course, there are exceptions and you are going to think you're it every time you want to quit and if you sell out that easily, you'll never get to pay the first price of leadership. I think you'll agree that more is to be gained by stickability, than chasing better deals, and most of the time our attitudes at the time of our quitting is setting the stage for almost certain failure in whatever we run to."
You're ability to stick to your dreams and to keep going when times get tough and when you run into obstacles is what is going to have the largest bearing on your success. Those who keep going, who make sure they are the last ones standing, are the ones that will reap the rewards. Too many give up right when they are about to turn the corner to success, because the going has gotten too tough. Too many give up when they have put in effort but have not seen results as quickly as they would like.
Calvin Coolidge said "Nothing in the 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. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."
Keep going; stick to what you start; don't quit. Persistence will win in the end. Ask yourself "how high does the hurdle have to be, how large the obstacle, before I throw in the towel and quit?" Remember your "why", and don't let anything keep you down. When you get knocked down, get up, dust yourself off, and just keep going.
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