A big misconception about the concept of perseverance is that it is all about hard work, physical strength, mental discipline, or of overcoming adversity. This idea suggests that perseverance is an energy of resistance, and it puts the idea of a negative energy into the conversation.
The truth about perseverance is that it is an inner decision about how you interact with your surroundings. Perseverance is an inner strength that you can develop. When you focus on your mission and not on the idea of overcoming a situation, a shift takes place. The way to cultivate perseverance is to be connected with your mission so strongly that you create a deep connection with your own positive attitude, so it’s easy for you to keep going.
The best way to do this is by saying yes to things. Say yes when you want to say no. When faced with a challenge, you take the challenge as an opportunity rather than something to be overcome.
Here’s an example: You are presented with a workout that you know is going to be difficult for you, physically and emotionally. You are in some sense dreading this experience, although you signed up for it and you know that it’s going to be good for you in the long run.
In this workout you will want to say “no”. Saying “no” creates the very resistance that you dreaded needing to overcome. Let go of "No".
That “no” kills ambition. It creates an idea that the challenge is bigger than you are.
The way to cultivate perseverance is not to cultivate a tough attitude, but rather to embrace the experience with a growth mindset.
When you say “yes” to being a better person, a stronger person, a more powerful person, to taking the steps to earn your black belt, you develop strength. That strength carries you through the challenge and gives you the knowledge that you can do things that you didn’t want to do. You emerge from the challenge as a bigger and more powerful person than you were when you walked in. That is a lasting energy, that’s what perseverance really is.
This is what we teach our students at Competitive Edge
Perseverance is a positive energy, not a negative one. Rather than being a reactive force or attitude of getting through the challenge by overcoming something, it’s an attribute that you can cultivate and build over time. Perseverance is a tool that you can use to make use of your own ability to see things for what they are and to work in a growth mindset.
It’s a strength that you build from within by working with natural law to see yourself as being ready and able to face the challenge. We have the tools and the teachers to support you in gaining that ability. From perserance you will then progress to leadership.
Reach out to us at 303-347-2467 to talk about how you can master the skill of perseverance and make the most of any given situation.
Send us an email to starttraining@ce-mma.com. And let us know what city you are in. If we don’t have an academy in your city, we have a network of friends, and we can put you in touch with what you need: professional support for a competent, structured, effective martial arts program.
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