Perseverance
By Gary Gzik

Perseverance is not about skill or talent. It's simply about finishing what you started. There are a lot of good ideas that just stall or sputter until all momentum or desire is lost. For even the most talented individual, challenges, obstacles and failures are commonplace. Only when a person matches talent with perseverance do opportunities become avenues of success.

Perseverance goes the extra mile. It is an attitude, a sense of accomplishment. We are all creatures of completion. We feel great when we get things done. So does every member of our team.

As leaders, we must inspire accomplishments. This sometimes requires us to pull people along, other times it requires us to push people through barriers. Either way, perseverance is the key.

Be careful not to fall into the trap. Perseverance can attract roadblocks and excuses from those operating from fear, doubt or laziness. You have to sift through the reality from the excuses. Challenges are a normal part of doing business but they are only opportunities in disguise for those that choose to see them that way.

Remember perseverance means succeeding because you are determined to, not destined to.

Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the United States stated;
"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people 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. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."

Conduct you and your team's efforts with an attitude of 'Success is closer that you think!' Far too often people give up when success is right within their grasp. Perseverance is about building the right attitude and the right habits to succeed. If you or your team just give up on a goal, how do you know you just won't give up on the next goal? You build individual and team character through persistent determination.

For more ideas on leadership, or to book a leadership training course, please contact Gary Gzik.