In the last post we discussed about the power of persistence in our lives and how important it is to possess such quality. We also discuss the habits of persistent people and the first three habits we discussed are part of the characteristics of determination. Without wasting much of our time let us discuss the power of determination.
First of all what is the dictionary meaning of determination.
According to Merriam Webster dictionary determination is defined as the firm or fixed intention to achieve a desired end.
Dictionary.com defines it as
Determination is an important quality you must possess in achieving your goals, it is when you have a strong determination towards your goals, that’s when you will be willing to push forward towards your goal no matter what challenges you face whether internally or externally.
As with all things in life, there is a swing effect. At first, everything is perfect, and you feel as if you are on top of the world. Sometimes, however, you can fade into hopelessness and overwhelming despair, times when you lose motivation due to the challenges you are facing. But then, after even more time, things can feel absolutely great again, and then you are proud of yourself that you didn’t give up during those tough times.
This is why many people call on the “power of motivation” during these trials, but motivation waxes and wanes just like everything else. Only determination coupled with the power of persistence that makes you rise above the negatives. When you don’t feel like doing something, determination makes you do it anyway. In these moments, it might not feel like you are progressing, in fact, every action you take creates progress. Only quitting stops progression.
In the beginning you might be faced with ups and downs, times when you feel so happy about your goals and times when it seems as if the goals are unreachable, through the power of determination you can force yourself to still keep this goals without changing them.
Your goals could be learning a new instrument, starting a blog, learning a new art, getting straight As at school, changing a character etc. A little bit of practice, devoting our time and persisting each day leads you forward to your goal.
In The Dip, Seth Godin wrote that there is a place on the way to success where you suffer setbacks. He called that place “the dip.” This is the place where determination is needed. Many people quit there, but winners will go through it. Determination can help you go through the dip and come to the other side victorious.
A good example of this is the story of Elon Musk. He is now well-known for his audacious ventures such as Tesla and SpaceX, but back in the day, he had a humble beginning. He started his first business in an apartment with his brother. It was a startup called Zip2, and the idea was to “provide local businesses with an Internet presence by linking their services to searchers and providing directions.”
But it was in the 1990s and the Internet was still in its infancy. Most small business owners still didn’t know how the Internet could benefit them. As a result, they got zero sales. They couldn’t get a single buyer.
But they kept at it. They didn’t quit. They kept going door-to-door to sell the product despite many rejections. They also kept improving the product. Musk and his team had the determination to go through the dip, and long story short, the company became a success.
What you need in such a situation is a fighter’s mentality. In Musk’s own words, you need to have the mentality of a samurai.
Microsoft is another good example. Again and again, Microsoft started with an inferior product. The product lost in the market. But they kept at it; they kept improving the product. At the end, the product became a success and even dominated its category. That was the case with Windows, Word, Excel, and many other Microsoft’s products. Bill Gates and his team had the determination to keep going.
Another example is Walt Disney; Today Disney rakes in billions from merchandise, movies and theme parks around the world, but Walt Disney himself had a bit of a rough start. He was fired by a newspaper editor because, “he lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” After that, Disney started a number of businesses that didn’t last too long and ended with bankruptcy and failure. He kept plugging along, however, and eventually found a recipe for success that worked.
Determination is important in everything you do. But determination isn’t just not quitting; it also requires you to keep improving yourself. Just keeping at it without improving yourself is not determination but stubbornness.
Before I wrap this article to a close, I will like you to know these things about determination towards your goals
Keep your life balanced.
Some people have blind determination that sacrifices other parts of their lives, but that’s not the way to get true success. True success is about balance. That’s how you can live a fulfilled and meaningful life.
Have meaningful goals
when you are giving the resources to achieve these goals, you will achieve them without wasting the resources, but as it is with life most of the time, these resources are not readily available to us, you have pay certain price to get these resources to achieve the intended goals.
Measurable goals are perfect for individual projects as these help you progress, but amorphous goals are much more beneficial for questions regarding what you want to do with your life. This allows you to take on your true interests in ways that align with your overall vision of success. Determination is not clingy, and it is not stubborn. Determination is an ever-shifting progression toward a vision that cannot be denied.
Have faith in yourself
There is nothing like believing in yourself to achieve your goals, if you don’t believe in yourself who else will, it is that belief in yourself that will spark up confidence in you and give you a strong determination.
Follow your Intuition and Spiritual Awareness
Following your intuition matters a lot in achieving your goals, there are times when you will be at a cross road and you need to make certain decisions with advice coming in from different angles, you have to be calm, communicate and listen to your heart, it also requires you praying to your God.
New goals often require a reset in the form of either completion of past pursuits or giving up on them entirely. To do this, however, the goals we create must be flexible enough to fit the changes that happen as we age. For instance, investing large amounts of money in your project can be risky. It can create a FEAR. When you are forced to act in fear, you do not always make the best decisions for yourself or for those who depend on you. You are not free or flexible enough to act in-sync with your Inner Guidance.
Only when you are free can you sense Synchronicity leading you to your true mission. You have to be very careful what you become chained to, for it may not be where you are intended to stay.
Whether you get there as a scholar, doctor, entrepreneur, a fashion designer, the end goal is what is important. You must continue to persist, that is trying and trying over again until something leads you to your ultimate quest. This way you are practicing the tools necessary for a realization.
Many assume that the path to success is a straight road. In fact, the road can be twisted, full of bends dead ends. Those that develop a higher Spiritual Awareness can actively apply the power of determination, and freely pursue any road until they finally find the path that leads them to their truest purpose.
Have a wonderful journey on the path to achieving your goals, may the odds be in your favor 😉