This week my head space is around the idea of perseverance. I see so many people who are tired, beat down and in many ways have given up. Not given up on life but on their dreams. They have settled and thrown in the towel. I also see many who have gone through one struggle after another and yet they don’t quit. They never give up. What is the difference between those who throw in the towel on their dreams and those who struggle to maintain their dreams? It may be as simple as perseverance. It’s getting back up and taking just one more small step forward.
I once heard a great story of a high school basketball coach who was attempting to get his players to persevere through a difficult season. After several long and unsuccessful games, he stood before his team and said, Did Michael Jordan ever quit?” The team responded with a “No!” He yelled, “What about the Wright Brothers? Did they give up?” “No!” the team responded. “Did Walt Disney ever quit?” Again, the team yelled “No!” “Did Elmer McAllister ever quit?”
After some long silence. Finally, one player was bold enough to ask “Who’s Elmar McAllister? We have never heard of him.” The coach snapped back, “Of course you never heard of him – he quit!”
If this is a day you feel like you just want to stop pursuing your passions because it is just too hard, take just one step forward. It doesn’t have to be a big step. It may even be a stumble or a fall. But if you fall, fall forward. Then get back up and try it one more time. As Charles Spurgeon pointed out, “by perseverance, the snail reached the ark.”
Tim Geeels – SVP of Corporate Instruction and Implementation
