The Art of Persistence
Persist because you must, not because I ask you to.
Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
The Art of Persistence
Persist because you must, not because I ask you to. Starting off a section with such a dire tone may be ominous but I promise you it might not be. Okay, it isn’t. I just need you to remember that.
Persist because you must. Persistence must exist in your lexicon as well as in the forefront of your brain at all times. Life is hard, as you well know, and it is the only way forward.
One thing I have learned over this blessed yet brief existence of mine is that persistence is key. Time is the great healer, the great revealer and the way out of hell, even if it’s a hell of my own creation.
That isn’t unique to me. That is universal. Tragedies happen from time to time. Everything is possible. You cannot allow infinite possibility to paralyze you and you cannot allow it to cause you to become nihilistic.
Just because we have little control doesn’t mean everything is pointless. Life is not pointless, very little is pointless. Life moves forward and so must you. Life won’t stop so you can’t stop.
That means being persistent. That means not giving up when life gets tough. That means standing up when you get knocked down. To spare you, it means a lot of things.
If you feel like giving up on something worthwhile just imagine you read “That means not giving up on *insert activity here*” in this paragraph. That should cover all the bases I reckon.
Get knocked down from time to time. That isn’t some fragment of something I had written then deleted. I am telling you to get knocked down from time to time.
Don’t run to the zoo and just into the elephant enclosure. It’s not that serious and you aren’t that tough. You don’t need an elephant to knock you down, life will do it on its own.
Persistence, however, requires you to know you can be persistent. That’s rather circular and counterintuitive I’ll admit. That’s why it’s important to get out of the way.
Find something you enjoy or something worthwhile. I’m not picky, choose either path. Now make an attempt. You will start off basic and repeat the boring and the easy elements for a while.
Once you become proficient, push yourself. You’ll know you’re pushing yourself adequately when you get knocked down. If you are not failing, you aren’t trying. That’s also rather counterintuitive but at least it isn’t circular.
This is practice and this is growth. You’re practicing your craft, you’re practicing failure recovery and you’re practicing persistence. That’s called efficiency and you should practice that too.
Get more done in less time with less effort by thinking first. Also practice that. You know what? Just practice. It’ll do you some good.
While sailing through life you won’t always encounter smooth seas or clear skies. Storms come and go, rogue waves will bend you over, rough seas happen even when you don’t see clouds.
This is what you’re doing all that practicing for. You must be ready or you will drown. I hear drowning isn’t desirable so do your best to avoid it.
Being prepared isn’t required. You could just wing it. I’m the master at winging it. But what I can tell you if you choose this path is be prepared to be beached.
Be prepared to wash ashore, shipless, directionless and without knowing how you got there. Be prepared to fall a lot and often. It is a hard road ahead and if you take the aquatic metaphor route, there are no calm seas when you are just winging it.
They may exist, sure, but you can’t slow down and enjoy them. No, you’re worrying about what’s coming next. You are attempting to prepare for everything because you didn’t take the time to prepare for the journey before you set out. In other words, winging it doesn’t actually exist.
We think we’re doing that but we’re just bracing for impact the entire time. It’s brutal, don’t do that. Just take the time now to practice being persistent so you can keep your eyes on the horizon where they belong.
In your personal life, you'll encounter challenges that test your strength and resilience. There may be times when you feel overwhelmed or unsure of the path you've chosen. In these moments, I want you to remember the power of persistence.
Remember that it's okay to feel scared or unsure. It's okay to take a break, to regroup, and gather your strength. But it's crucial to get back up, to face your fears, and to keep moving forward.
In your professional life, you may face hurdles that seem insurmountable. You might feel discouraged, or even consider giving up on your dreams. But remember, every successful person you admire has faced their share of failures and setbacks. What sets them apart is their persistence.
They kept going, kept trying, kept learning from their mistakes until they achieved their goals.
As your father, my wish for you is to grow into individuals who are strong, resilient, and persistent. It won't always be easy, but I promise you, it will be worth it.
As you navigate through life, remember that your journey is your own. Don't compare your progress with others, and don't let others' opinions sway you from your path. Stay focused, stay determined, and stay persistent.
In the end, it's not about the destination, but about the journey, and how you persist through the challenges that come your way. Your mother and I are here for you, cheering you on every step of the way.
Remember, you are stronger than you think, and with a little persistence, there's nothing you can't achieve.
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This is a very useful essay, especially in these times of hypersensitivity. How much of the rage and angst we see around us is unpreparedness meeting real life, the thing you warn against? Kids raised to believe the world will bend to their will when the world has plans of its own.
I am very impressed if these are lessons you are imparting on your children. I'd be interested to see your take on the outcome of persistence, namely resilience. A trait in very short supply these days.
This seems to be one of the lessons being lost, that sometimes, you just need to take it on the chin, learn and keep going. Thanks for writing!