BILLIE Jean King, former world No. 1 tennis player, once said: "Champions keep playing until they get it right."
When we think about, it simply means that no one is born a "champion". Its takes enormous fortitude to get there. The people who are victorious in their endeavours have kept working on things steadily until they get it right.
This also means that it does not matter how many times you fail. What is more important is whether you are able to grow from your failure by adjusting and improving your performance. And if you can persist.
Persistence and tenacity are obviously the main components to being a winner at anything you do. But unfortunately, many just do not have the patience, forbearance and courage for success.
In the course of my work, I see many people limiting themselves even before they start. Or they give up without putting up a real fight. Instead, they will happily justify why they capitulated.
Granted, there are at times of severe complications, such as a shortage of funds or other forms of hardship that you have to endure. But to be frank, doing something different or pushing yourself in a new direction is naturally uncomfortable. It is getting out of the comfort zone that freaks out most people.
People are either paralysed by their own insecurities or they lack real drive see things through to completion.
As a business owner, I can confirm that there is nothing more important than developing persistence for success. When I have failed in my attempts at something, and believe me, I have had some spectacular failures, it was always because it was easier for me to give up and stay in my own comfort zone.
I'd mess up because I couldn't take the discomfort or the uncertainly of doing something that I was unfamiliar with. And the fear of failure debilitated me from taking the appropriate actions to win.
So, through experience, I have come to understand that if I want to create change in my life or achieve success, I have to develop and master persistence.
How do you develop this persistence that will see you cross the finish line?
You must begin with a clear purpose. Ask yourself, what is the reason for you wanting to do what you set out to do?
Canadian educator and management theorist Laurence J. Peter, best known for his "Peter Principle" that observes that people in a hierarchy tend to rise to their level of incompetence, asserted that "…if you don't know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else".
Business coaches and motivational speakers will say that you have to take a huge action to get the results you want. This is necessary.
However, more importantly, you must also recognise that if you do not have a compelling purpose to want to achieve something, no amount of external motivation is going to help you develop the necessary tenacity to keep going when faced with obstacles.
Personal motivation comes from a deep reason of why you want to achieve something. If you know why you're doing what you're doing, it gives you more energy to keep on moving.
Let me relate a personal example. I had wanted to write a book about my career as a management consultant and leadership coach since 2002. It I knew that I wanted my book to offer real value to my readers. I also wanted it to be noteworthy.
But for nearly 15 years, I was just unable to put my thoughts downs in structured way and get the job done.
Finally, in early 2016, I decided that I would write down for myself "why" I wanted to publish a book.
The exercise only took a few hours. At the time, I was on vacation with my wife. I had reflected on what my purpose was for wanting this book published.
The thought that my writing would influence and teach hundreds and thousands of young executives on how to successfully navigate the complications of their workplaces excited and motivated me.
I began to see in my mind the impact of writing my book aimed at offering practical help for people in need. I could see that my work as a consultant meant that I had unique insights that would aid and assist people.
My purpose presented itself to me. I developed the motivation to write and publish my thoughts.
Just few months later, in June 2016, my first book, So, You Want To Get Promoted? was published.
In any conversation on the attributes of successful people, persistence is always mentioned, often as a central factor in any success.
So, if you want results, be purpose-driven so that you are motivated to be persistent, especially when things get difficult.
Most of all, be prepared to be uncomfortable.
The writer is managing consultant and executive leadership coach at EQTD Consulting. He is also the author of the national bestseller 'So, You Want To Get Promoted?'
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times
