Persistence: the act of continually pursuing
something in spite of obstacles

If having a dream and committing to its ultimate achievement
is something like plotting your final destination ahead of an exciting journey,
then persistence is rather like the engine you need in order to get there. 

Persistence is what drives you on to take the next step in
your journey; persistence is what prevents you from getting discouraged by what
may have happened in the past; persistence is where the rubber meets the road!

Here is a story, of unknown origin that illustrates what
persistence is all about …

There was a certain man who went to meet a famous guru to
ask, “which way is success?” 

The be-robed, bearded sage did not speak but pointed to a
place far off in the distance. The man, thrilled by the prospect of quick and
easy success, rushed off in the appropriate direction. Suddenly, there was a
loud “splat!”.  Eventually, the
man limped back, tattered and stunned, assuming he must have misinterpreted the
message. He repeated his question to the guru, who again pointed silently in
the same direction. 

The man obediently walked off once
more. This time the splat was deafening, and when the man crawled back, he was
bloody, broken, tattered, and irate. “I asked you which way is success,” he yelled at the guru.
“I followed the direction you indicated. And all I got was splatted!

No more of this pointing! Talk!” 

Only then did the wise old guru speak, and what he said was
this: “Success IS that way.  Just a little further on than splat!”

Translating your dream into an action plan and then constantly
taking actions, each and every day, that will move you in the direction of your
goal is what will get you there in the end. No matter how big your goal, you
can get there if you will keep your destination in mind and then continually
take actions that move you toward the goal.

When you meet an obstacle, as you inevitably will,
persistence determines what you will do; whether you will give up or keep
going. Persistence is what gets you back on your feet, dusted down and ready to
go again.

Persistence is what gets you past SPLAT!

by Will Edwards