One of the biggest lessons I learned during those years of striving for my goal was power, persistence. On my trip to play for Australia
Persistence is really just another word for spirit. Everyone has things they dream of being. We all experience setbacks and failures along the route. The person with the most persistent, but always end up achieving their goal.
It helps to have a clearly defined goal, and remaining focused on it. My dream to be an Olympian was like a magnetic pull me through and gave me courage to persevere in it. Along the way, I often review the objectives, questioning them and determine whether they were really what I wanted. In my heart, I thought I was good enough to succeed at international level and play at the Olympics - even if nobody else did!
Each champion has reached their personal goals through persistence - persistence in education, perseverance through tough times, and even persistence through the good times, striving to become even better.
Michael Jordan needed to call on the power of persistence, early in his career. As a sophomore in high school, Jordan was originally cut from his high school basketball in Wilmington, NC Although Jordan felt sadness for a time, this setback forced him to work even harder, and that is what it took for him to realize his dream. Every great athlete has had their fair share of setbacks, and that is how you handle those setbacks or obstacles that will determine your fate.
There is no such thing as failure, only feedback. You can learn most of your mistakes - to figure out what did not work and try something else, so over time, ultimately lead to success. We do it very beginning of our lives, learn new skills, like a baby. Learning to sit up, crawling, walking, etc. If we gave up on the first attempt to go, we would all be stuck crawling around. We learn from each attempt, each error.
Throughout life, so we will get results or outcomes. Some results we want, especially if they match our goals, and some we do not like. Our interpretation or judgments of the results will determine our next step - to continue as we are, to make some changes and still fighting for our goal, or to change direction.
How do I know that a bad outcome, or repeated poor performance, is an indication to make some changes and still continue on the same path or an indication to change course all together?
Firstly, a poor or undesired result is an absolute indication to make some changes. It is said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expect to get a different result. "Maybe if I just try harder next time!"
The best question we can ask ourselves, "How?" "How can I achieve my desired result?" When we pose this question to our unconscious, our subconscious can come up with the correct answer when we are open to the answers.
We also need to consider how important the ultimate goal is for us. Is it something that is really what we want? If so, we must continue. Is it something that is realistic? I think we all have the internal resources to do anything we put our minds and willingness. Marcus Aurelius said: "Because your own strength is unequal to the task, do not assume that it is beyond the powers of man, but if there is anything within the powers and province of man, believe that it is within your own compass also. "
The important thing is how much you want it. How important is it that you reach your goal. What is the value for you to achieve the goal? What is the cost to you if you quit now and go on another road?
Each time you take the step forward and dare to fail, you move closer to your ultimate goal. Although it is two steps forward and one step back, you're still getting closer to the goal. When you expand your consciousness to new possibilities, you can never go back to your old limitations.
The image I like best to describe this is one where you imagine to push something through a small hole in a wall. There is much opposition in getting through this hole, and you may need several attempts to break through. You may even need help from others to build up sufficient force to penetrate the barrier. When you push through the resistance disappears and you are in a larger space of possibilities.
Although at times it seems futile to get through a barrier in your life when you do, it opens itself up to even greater success, more than you might imagine.
Annette Huygens Tholen is a former international beach volleyball player and participated in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney
No comments:
Post a Comment