The River Cuts Through Rock
Perseverance (noun) steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.
synonyms: persistence, tenacity, determination, staying power, steadfastness, purposefulness; patience, endurance, application, diligence, dedication, commitment, doggedness, assiduity, tirelessness, stamina, stick-to-itiveness...
This is what it takes to achieve your goals. No matter if it is to do pull-ups, lose weight, run a mile, build muscle, do an obstacle race, or just to get started on the journey. You have to want to reach that goal, no matter what. You have to want it so bad you will fight for it, work for it, and be willing to give it more than 100%. It is important that we all, no matter where we are in our journeys, set small attainable goals. Work friggin hard, reach the goal, celebrate it and then set a new one. Repeat.
My life has been a series of goals set. In high school, I wanted to get into a college for dance...I worked, despite naysayers and those telling me I couldn't. I did it. In college, I wanted to travel and dance in other countries...I did it. As a graduate student, I wanted to get into a dance company or into a broadway show. I fought hard. I worked hard. I suffered a lot of rejection (perceived failures). But ultimately, I did it. This is the balance of life…you have to take the good with the bad and move on knowing and believing that the good will
come. It is easy to let the bad bring you down and keep you down, but it takes a lot of pick yourself back up and keep fighting. I was a sensitive and easily hurt younger person, so I DID let those perceived failures bring me down....but I managed to pick myself up, dust myself off and try again, and try harder every time. Those bumps were lessons that helped me to grow. This is the reality. Sometimes we set goals that are just too far fetched. Should we let that stop us dead in our tracks and never try for anything again. NO. This is a test of your wills and a lesson in reevaluating and reformulating your goals. Can you look in the mirror and be honest with yourself? It can be a harsh reality, but if you can do this, you can keep doing forward despite the setbacks. I am constantly striving for success. Having a strong support system in place can be the ticket to your success. I did have support in my younger years, but because I was striving for untraditional and "weird" career goals, it was often difficult for people to understand the struggle and why I would constantly put myself in a situation where 9 out of 10 times I got rejected, and it hurt, made me feel less than or even like quitting….but then I just kept putting myself in that situation. I could have eliminated the pain and sadness of rejection by doing something that was easy. That was simply not who I was. I needed a challenge and I needed to prove the naysayers wrong. I was born with tenacity and drive...it seems contradictory, but even though I would crumble into pieces after not getting a spot in the company or the role in the musical, I would pick myself up and get ready for the next audition. I know those skills have helped me to grow into the woman I am today...and to have the drive to grow my little, built-from-nothing fitness business. 14 years in this business and I am still fighting. There have been high highs and low lows, but I persevere. WHY? It’s because I LOVE what I do…and I am the type of person that no one can tell me I can’t do something.
Why am I sharing yet another part of my story? Well, you are here, on my website reading my blog, because you want or need motivation and inspiration to continue your own journey. So here is my advice to you…Go out and grab the opportunity...and make it work for you. When you see a video of an exercise, try it! It might be hard, you might think you can’t do it for whatever reasons you tell yourself…but you might surprise yourself with your strength, determination and fighting spirit When you see an inspirational quote, write it down or think about what it means for you. Post it on your wall, mirror, or vision board, come back to it when you feel or think negatively. Use it as a positive affirmation that YOU ARE WORTH IT. Some goals will take longer and more work to reach, some goals may need to be reevaluated and reformulated…but anything worth having is worth working for. Success shouldn't come quick and easy, because it can disappear just as fast. There is no quick fix, or fast solution, or magic pill. It takes hard work, determination, focus, and a drive to succeed. You just have to get started…as the saying goes…”a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” If you are too afraid to take that first step, what is the point of having the goal? Take that step, you won’t regret it. You will learn. You will grow. You will inspire someone else to do the same. Continue to strive to better your best and you will.
