There are certain success traits that sometimes feel unattainable. Especially when you read those lists of “25 traits essential for success,” or “top 10 characteristics of successful people,” etc.—it can be overwhelming! There are just too many ‘essential’ success traits to possibly develop and practice them all.
Also, I am a firm believer in focusing on and improving your strengths, not worrying too much about your weaknesses. Every person is different, and every person has his or her individual strengths and weaknesses. Far better, I say, to identify and leverage your strengths than try to channel your energy into patching up your weak spots. Not every ‘essential’ trait is going to be one of your personal strengths, and that’s okay.
But I do believe that there is one particular success trait that really is essential, and it’s a trait that I think everyone who desires greater success can learn and strengthen. That trait is persistence.
Related to persistence are perseverance, tenacity, endurance, drive, zeal, ambition, resilience, resolve, fortitude, steadfastness, and many more. Persistence is all about keeping your eye on the target.
It’s the ability to keep going. To keep going in the face of adversity. To keep going after failure after failure. To keep going when the naysayers tell you to quit. To keep going when you’re exhausted, discouraged, and frustrated. Without persistence, success is simply unattainable.
Is persistence one of your strengths? (Hint: your spouse or friends might call it ‘stubbornness!’) Or is persistence a success trait you need to learn and strengthen? In a recent article on his blog, Michael Hyatt shared 6 tricks for gaining persistence:
- Set goals
- Keep the end in mind
- Improve your pace and renew your enthusiasm
- Run and walk (“proper pacing improves endurance”)
- Kill the distractions
- Change your self image
Persistence IS something that can be learned and developed. It is one essential success trait that YOU can learn this year!
