The Persevere Mindset

Faith. Passion. Courage. Determination. Strength. I could keep going, but you get the idea. Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart. Having an idea does not make you great. Even passion alone does not immediately turn into a well of greatness. There is a quality shared by successful entrepreneurs that sets them apart from those who are not. This quality is perseverance.

Perseverance: steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.

Challenges

Without this trait, an entrepreneur cannot overcome the hurdles and setbacks they will face and continue on the path he has carved out for himself. The root of a person’s perseverance can vary. For some, it is their vision or mission, for some it is their burning desire that can’t be extinguished. For me it is the sense of purpose that I receive from helping others. It also comes in the form of faith – a deep unending feeling of peace even in the darkest of moments.

We are human, and it is with this mortal existence, we fall prey to regret, self-doubt and anxiety. In the short term, these emotions can feel like they are all that there is – filling our mind with the idea that this might be the end. When this fear creeps in, it is my faith that brings me back and pushes me forward. A feeling that inevitably will help me defeat whatever challenge arises. This is when perseverance kicks in.

In the book “Three Feet From Gold” by Sharon Lechter and Greg Reid, we are reminded to never make decisions when you are in a valley. This is VERY important. Our lives are full of valleys, low points, in business, in health, in relationships, but they are also full of peaks. The choice is ours, we can choose to give in and give up or to keep on going to make it to the next peak.

Mindset

As entrepreneurs, we burst through these feelings and rise above the challenges to come out greater on top of the next peak. We dig deep and access a place that we didn’t know existed – we face that giant, we make that tough call and we move through it. And when we are done with it – we don’t replay it over and over, we don’t fret for the unknown – the lesson gets learned and the experience gets filed away ready to be referenced in the future in the form of wisdom.

A positive mindset is something we can control, even though it may not be easy. If my faith is solid and I set my mindset to one of decisiveness and positivity – I will succeed. Each one of my decisions is purposeful and it is made with the faith that I am making the choice in the best interest of all involved. Unforeseen hiccups or errors that only become clear with hindsight are inevitable. It is up to us to recognize them for what they are – opportunities to learn and grow.

You have heard of those success stories – the big and the small – the ones who had the perseverance to keep going even when they were told not to. They tried, they failed (again and again) and eventually succeeded. Steve Jobs, Walt Disney, Bill Gates to name a few. Why is it we only hear of the great successes? It’s what makes the story great. So, I implore you to make the choice to have a positive mindset and to embrace the perseverance inside you – the failures only make for a greater story of success down the line!

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.

– John Calvin Coolidge, Jr., 30th President of the United States

Here for you in success.