Let’s talk about tenacity and perseverance. In this day and age, they are quickly becoming virtues that are being more and more neglected. Whereas hard work and sticking to your guns was viewed as something desirable in days gone by, today anything demanding and strenuous is frowned upon. We whine and complain when things get hard. We’re looking for the easy button and are usually able to find it. More often than not, the easy way out is simply to give up and do something else.
As we’re losing our ability to be tenacious and persevere we’re losing out on a lot of good that comes from these vital virtues. We don’t feel the pride that comes with hard-earned success. We aren’t as productive and have gotten much better at distracting ourselves. We don’t get the huge boost in self-confidence one gets from accomplishing a seemingly insurmountable task. Could this be part of the reason we’re seeing more cases of depression? It’s possible. Feeling self-worth is an important part of being happy and fulfilled in life.
The big question then is what can we, as individuals, do to bring back these vital virtues of tenacity and perseverance? Start by practicing tenacity yourself on a daily basis. Get better at it and stop being distracted or giving up as much. Start small and keep working at it and getting better at it. Learn to persevere when things get hard and do them anyway. Set an example for those around you. Trust me, they will start to notice.
In addition to setting a good example, share perseverance and tenacity with those around you. If you’re a parent, make it a point to teach your children. Make seeing tasks through to the end a requirement in your house. You’re teaching your kids important life skills that will serve them well throughout school and adulthood.
Influence those around you. Require tenacity and perseverance when you work with others, teach them, or have them work for you. Practice tenacity and perseverance and expect the same from those around you. As they start to notice the many benefits that come from this, they will hopefully start to practice it more and ideally pass it on to others as well.
Don’t be afraid to speak out when you see someone giving up too soon or getting distracted too easily. Tenacity and Perseverance are vital virtues that are worth bringing back. Do your part and watch your own life and that of those around you change for the better. You may not be able to change popular culture all by yourself, but you can change the culture of your family, your business, your workplace and your own small community for the better.