How Persistence Creates Success

 Most people are strong starters but weak finishers. Only 1.7% of the population finishes projects. Isn't it funny how this statistic matches identically with the percentage of successful people?

 Just about anyone can start a job, business, or project, but very few discipline themselves to continue doing the necessary things that will lead to success.

 Persistence is a bi-product of self-discipline. Self-discipline builds character and persistence creates success.

 Studying success principles and accomplished people, I've noticed there to be one key element that supercedes anything-Persistence! Persistence can help you overcome any obstacle on you path to success.

 The journey of most people can be broken down into categories: the Daydreamer, the Starter, and the Success.

 The Daydreamer describes more than half the people on the planet. These individuals "dream" of doing something but never get around to it. Since the Daydreamer is not taking any action, he is usually financially broke, confused, depressed, feeling out-of-control of his life, reads very few books, rarely attends seminars or classes, and is in poor health (physically or mentally).

 The Starter describes about one third of the population. This person creates a goal and jumps in really strong at the beginning. With only excitement and enthusiasm to fuel his goals, the Starter Person becomes discouraged and tired as the initial "obstacles" of life appear in their way.

 It takes more than motivation to Succeed!

 After a round of negative challenges that come before any person wanting to achieve great things, the Starter Person quits. Oh, the Starter Person is clever so he justifies his "non-follow through". This smarter than average person might say, "I don't have the time, money, or resources to achieve this intention". Of course, they are right. Most goals manifest without the proper resources, it is a person's persistence that fills the gaps. Since the Starter Person is starting things but not finishing them, these individuals are usually happy on the outside but sad on the inside. Feeling as though life or some unforeseen force is against their success, the Starter feels weathered and always on the verge of financial or career destruction. The Starter is well read and educated. So, the Starter Person may jump from one book to another trying to find the answers to success.

 The Success Person is not very different than the two mentioned above. As a matter of fact, the Success Person possesses some of the same personality traits as the Daydreamer and Starter. The only unique attribute this particular person has is persistence.

 Success is more than planning, education and hard work!

 The Success Person may be less educated than the Starter and less creative than the Daydreamer, but tenacity demonstrated by persistently going after something until it is accomplished will overcome any obstacle.

 This story will help you to identify which personality type you fall into.

 Once upon a time there was gold discovered on a remote mountain. The only way to the gold was via a single road. The problem was a massive boulder blocked the passage to the mountain top. Three men were talking about the gold and decided to individually obtain the treasure.

 The Daydreamer told many people in his village about his intention. He would say things like, "One day, the gold will be mine. Soon, I will remove the boulder blocking the path and enjoy the riches for the rest of my life". The Daydreamer was a kind hearted soul and promised to share his gold with family and friends. Unfortunately, the Daydreamer spent his time just thinking and talking about ways to remove the boulder but never seemed to get around to actually doing anything to physically remove the blockage.

 The Starter studied many subjects relating to removing boulders. After studying the subjects of explosives, excavation, and a number of others, the Starter planted dynamite at the base of the boulder but barely diminished the obstacle. Next, he tried using his gained knowledge of engineering, only to once again fail. No matter what he tried, it didn't seem to work. As he gave-up and departed from the boulder, he accidentally dropped one of his tools-a small hammer. Feeling like a failure, the Starter went back to start a different goal.

 The third fellow, the Success, told a few family members and friends about his intention and they laughed at him. His closely related confidants would jeer, "Others have tried to do what you desire to do and they failed. You are intending to do the impossible. You'll never make it." The Success gave his goal some thought (just as the Daydreamer did) and studied a little (just as the Starter did as well). Then, within a few days of contemplation, the Success walked the path to the boulder to evaluate it up close. The boulder was a massive obstacle, the largest he had ever seen. To remove this boulder would be a bigger task than the Success had ever tried before and he was concerned.

 The Success did not have much money, so he could not afford to buy the fancy tools or explosive apparatuses of the Starter. So, the Success looked around the area to see what he could use to work on the insurmountable boulder. He tried using sticks and stones to leverage the weight of the boulder, of course, nothing happened. He found a wild horse and harnessed it to pull the big rock, once again failure occurred. No matter what the Success Person tried, nothing worked. One peculiar thing about the Success Person is how he never stopped thinking of options and trying one after another nor did he let the failures diminish his persistence.

 Although the Successful Person is resourceful, above all else, he is persistent!

 As the Success Person was running out of innovative things to try in the surrounding area, he glanced around and noticed lying on the ground the small hammer dropped by the Starter. Picking-up up the hammer, the Success Person walked over to the boulder and swung with the intention of chipping off at least one small piece of the massive rock. Although only one small piece fell to the ground, this brought a smile to the Success' face.

 He continued to chip away at the boulder for many days. Soon, the days turned into months and people in the village started to talk and laugh behind his back. Even the Mayor himself made mention of "The Lunatic who chips at the boulder all day long". No one thought the Success would ever succeed but the villager's discouraging words and relentless hours of work did not matter to the Success. The Success continued with persistence until the boulder became small enough to climb over.

 Sometimes, after a great deal of preliminary hard work, there may be even more work ahead-Persistance produces results!

 As tired as a person can be from working the long hours and many months of hard labor, the Success journeyed to the top of the mountain to discover the largest veins of gold ever found. Now, he found himself in a situation that required more hard work and persistence-the Success needed to mine for the gold to remove it from the ground.

 Onward he went, day-by-day and month-by-month, working in his gold mine. Soon, he removed enough gold to buy some small mining equipment. Next, he removed enough gold to hire some workers to help. Before long, the Success had established the largest producing gold mine in the entire world.

 You see the only difference between the Success, the Daydreamer and the Starter was persistence. Persistence will eventually help you to overcome any obstacle in your way. As the author, Tobias Wolff said, "We are made to persist. That's how we find out who we are."

 So, as we close this writing together, I ask you to identify which of the three types of people are you-the Daydreamer, the Starter, or the Success? Remember, if you persist past the obstacles and work involved in any endeavor, success will be yours.

 I always look forward to our time together. Until our next conversation, I am

 In loving service,
Dr. Michael J. Duckett