“Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence. “- Hal Borland
Trees and grass need time to grow, and therefore, they symbolize patience. It is the same with us too. We need time to achieve goals, especially big goals, and this requires patience. If we are too impatient, desiring to have immediate results, we might be disappointed and quit our goals.
We have to study, improve ourselves, change our mindset, and work toward our goals. We have to water our goals with ambition, motivation and effort, so that they will come true, just as we need to water a tree, so it can grow.
Most trees need years to grow and become big trees. Big goals also need time, and you therefore, need patience, just like a tree.
If you don’t possess enough patience, you need to develop it. It is a skill that can be developed like any other skill.
- You need patience if you wish to speak fluently a foreign language.
- You need patience to graduate from school, college or the university.
- You need patience to learn and progress with meditation.
- You need patience to shape your body.
- You need patience to lose wait.
- You need patience to build up relationships.
- You need patience to build trust with customers.
Patience is very closely related to self-discipline. If you possess self-discipline, you also have patience, and vice versa. If you strengthen your self-discipline, you also strengthen your patience.
Now read the second part of the above-mentioned quote:
“Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence.”
Grass often grows through concrete. It can also grow on rocks. It possess persistence, the ability to continue and not quit, until it finds a way to emerge outside, in the sun and air. Can you compare your efforts to to the efforts of the grass? Do you continue what you start, until you accomplish it, no matter what obstacles are on your way?
It is so easy to quit when you confront obstacles and opposition. However, if you continue, and then win, you will feel a great satisfaction.
Every person meets obstacles on the way, but only those who don’t let the obstacles discourage them, ultimately, win and achieve success. This applies to career, sports, learning, and everything else.
Persistence is a sign of inner strength and of strong character. Without it, you cannot make any progress. It is ability that makes a person a winner against all odds. It is the person who keeps going that wins. Success could be just so close, and just a little more time and effort are required.
There is a great feeling of achievement, when you persist and don’t give up! When you persist, you go the whole way, and don’t turn back after a few steps. Only those that keep going reach their destination.
How do you develop persistence?
Don’t give up when confronting obstacles.
Don’t give in to laziness and procrastination.
This would become possible, if you learn to strengthening your willpower and self-discipline. This can be done by practicing simple exercises. This is clearly explained in the book Willpower and self-discipline, available through this website.
You can also find exercises for willpower and self-discipline in the article mentions below:
Willpower and Self Discipline Guidance and Exercises