Weekly Motivation

By Nicholas Bronkal

A friend of mine is currently going through a difficult time. Life just isn’t happening the way he wants it to. He keeps saying that life is unfair. After hearing what the situation was, I could understand why he would think that. Everything that happens in our life has a purpose. We may not understand the purpose at the exact moment it happens, but it has a purpose in your life. And when a situation happens, we have control over how we react to it. Anything that happens in life will make you stronger in one way or another. But back to my friend…there are things in life that he wants and it appears that his wants are extremely important to him. My response to him was, “It’ll happen when it’s meant to happen. Just be patient but be persistent.” And that’s what this article is about—persistence and perseverance.

First off, here are a few definitions:

Persistence |pərˈsistəns| (noun)

– firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition

Perseverance |ˌpərsəˈvi(ə)rəns| (noun)

– steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success

We look at business moguls, athletes, musicians (talented ones), dancers, actors, and others and much of the time, we hear about their drive. Well, to me, this drive is perseverance and persistence. When people want to achieve something in their life, they set a goal. They make a plan and they execute it. They persevere. All their effort is put into achieving what it is they want in life, but it doesn’t happen overnight. Problems will always be encountered. There are bound to be minor setbacks and major setbacks, but life isn’t perfect. You should know that by now. That’s why you need to have persistence and perseverance.

Strength

Instead of viewing these setbacks as problems or roadblocks or as a wall, view them as a test and think to yourself, “This is only going to make me stronger.” If you want it bad enough, you will burst through that wall. You will do everything in your power to pass that test. This test is testing how bad you want it. How bad do you want to achieve that goal you set out on? If you pass the test, it will make you that much stronger for when the next one obstacle comes along. You are stronger than you think you are!

In my eyes, if you don’t have to work for something, it isn’t really worth it. If you set your goals high and work your ass off to reach them, you will feel like you deserve it. When you have a problem in life, have the balls (courage) to face it head on. Figure out what the problem is and then make a plan to solve it. If you don’t offer a solution to your problems, don’t complain because, as one of my colleagues and good friends says, “nobody cares.” Be quiet because nobody cares about your problems if you aren’t offering a solution or doing something to change your situation. Winners adjust. Successful people face adversity and kick the shit out of it. If you want something bad enough, quitting isn’t an option. Quitting is for losers. Yes, I’m being abrasive here, but it’s life. People today are coddled and need to stop making excuses. Society as a whole is weak-minded, frail, and gutless.

“We live in more of a pussy generation now where everybody’s become used to saying, “Well, how do we handle it psychologically?” In those days, you just punched the bully back and duked it out. Even if the guy was older and could push you around, at least you were respected for fighting back, and you’d be left alone from then on. I don’t know if I can tell you exactly when the pussy generation started. Maybe when people started asking about the meaning of life…” —Clint Eastwood

I’m honestly afraid of the future of my country. Look around. Everybody wants things handed to them. People are becoming less resilient without any idea how to survive. They ask for handouts and for others to fix their problems. We live in a society of men who pretty much act like women and women who complain when they don’t get what they want and think they are entitled to anything and everything. Reality check—you aren’t entitled to anything. Nobody is, so get over it. The “pussification” of this country needs to end. OK, sorry. I went off there for a minute, so let’s get back on topic.

Your Character

The true test in life of your character is when you’re just completely buried with problems, walls, road blocks, and obstacles and it seems like there isn’t any way you’ll ever get what you set out to achieve, but you find a way. Bad times don’t last forever. They can’t. If you’re constantly striving to be the person you’re truly meant to be, those times won’t last forever. Find your inner strength in tough times and do what you have to do to get it done. Persevere. Be a winner.

Believe it or not, you can get anything you want out of life, but it isn’t easy. That’s why there are so many unhappy people who bitch and moan and complain about this, that, and the other thing. It isn’t easy, not in the least bit, and that’s why there aren’t many people who are successful and happy. It’s because they give up when times are tough because life was hard and they backed down from the challenge. Nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough, but are you willing to put in the time? Are you willing to put in the effort?

What If?

Understand that your days are numbered. When you wake up for a new day, yesterday is gone forever. You will never get that day back, and you will never get that time back. Don’t waste it. When you get older, you don’t want to look back and say I should have, I could have, or I would have. There is regret in life. I don’t care what you say. People will argue, “Oh, there isn’t any regret in life. That’s what you wanted at one point.” Bullshit. When you get old and you didn’t go after what you wanted, you will regret it. I promise you. You will be left feeling empty and it will drive you crazy. Imagine being 50 and looking back and asking, “What if?”

“What if I did open a gym…?” “What if I did move…?” “What if I did marry that person…?” “What if I did go to college…?” “I should have asked that girl out…” “I should have been a teacher…” “I would have done it, but…” “I could have been the best, but…”

Choices

You always have a choice in life. Yes, some of them are harder than others, but you always have a choice. Follow your gut and do what makes you happy. People may get hurt in the process and they may not agree with your choice, but that’s life and it isn’t always fair. Do what’s best for you. Keep working until you’ve reached all your goals in life. If you don’t achieve them today, you should continue working on them in the days that follow. Don’t give up and your hard work will pay off with perseverance and persistence.

I want to hear your thoughts, so please share them in the comment section!

“Each one of us has some goal we want to reach, and we must work toward that goal one step at a time. You can’t reach toward that goal and expect it on the first try. All your small steps will bring you just a little closer. You must continue to work toward this goal. You may take a few steps back or be at a standstill, but you will be learning from each step. Through hard work, self-confidence and motivation, you will find ways to move ahead. You alone can help yourself to move ahead in life and gain personal satisfaction. You only get out of life what you put into it.” — Sid Luckman

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