The Entrepreneur's Secret Weapon: Persistence.
Mar 15, 2016
Persistence describes the ability to push and push toward the finish line, even if the finish line seems out of reach. It's about tenacity and stubbornness, in the best sense of both words.
Nothing in this 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.
- Calvin Coolidge
Persistence is also crucial because you're bound to make mistakes, some big and some small. Messing up is a part of being human, but we learn and improve from each mistake. When you give up too early, you lose the opportunity to learn from your mistakes, and are then just left with failure.
So what does any of this mean for those of you who are building a business?
- Don't wait for the perfect moment or situation to take action. You don't have to have everything figured out in order to get going.
- Don't sweat the small things that are out of your control. If you're sitting in traffic or waiting in line, no amount of restlessness is going to help the situation. The more frustrated you get, the less energy you'll have to spend on the things that matter.
- Don't give up if things take longer than planned. Look for signals that you're on the right track, keep your burn rate as low as possible and keep moving forward.
- Realize that no one else will be on your same timetable. It's your mission to show others the importance of what you're trying to do, and communicate that sense of urgency.
- You won't be successful if you continually push people without getting them to buy into your vision first.
There's simply no truth to the idea that if you work hard and pay your dues, success will come. Success never comes to anyone. You need to go out and grab it.
