3 Ways to Be Tenacious

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Being persistent is a quality that can help you reach a goal, get what you want, and it is also a way to affirm yourself in front of stubborn or difficult people. The application of tenacity to every task, social relationship or goal is often what distinguishes successful people from those who fail in any business. Certainly, lack of perseverance or "giving up too soon" are among the main causes of failure of any business.

This article addresses the role of perseverance in achieving a goal, overcoming failure, and getting what you want in relationships with other people.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Achieve a Goal

If you've ever joined the gym on January 2nd and went there religiously until January 4th, you know that perseverance, however challenging, is necessary to achieve your goals. If you want to establish a new habit, abandon an old one, or finish a larger project, it is one thing to set a goal, but it is quite another to pursue it. This section will explain what you can do to not abandon it.

Step 1. Set a goal

Be specific about the type of results you want to achieve. Also be specific about the time frame in which you should achieve the goal or results. In addition to setting the goal, make sure it's something you can reasonably achieve.

Write the goal in a place you look at regularly. It could be a diary, a Post-It note on the fridge, a poster on the wall, etc

Step 2. Divide the goal into tranches

Small pieces are easier to manage and easier to reach, and will give you a sense of achievement faster.

• Divide it into time sections. Take on a task in 15-minute or one-hour sections. If you are looking to change your habits, try it one day, and then another.

  

• Divide the task itself into sections. Order a number of files in a certain amount of time, or clean a number of square meters.

Step 3. Work a little at a time

Five minutes, three times a week, is better than nothing, and it might not seem that hard. So, start there.

Step 4. Learn what motivates you

Do you love the satisfaction that a job well done gives you? See if you can improve on your previous attempts. Do you like attention or praise from others? Plan to show your work when it's finished, or demonstrate while you're working on it.

Step 5. Put a reminder somewhere visible

Are you trying to save to buy a house? Put a photo of your dream home on the bathroom mirror –– or stick it to your credit card.

Step 6. Make it a habit

Do what you have to do every day if possible. One tactic that works is to link it to a habit you already have. For example, if you brush your teeth every night before bed, that might be a good time to floss and wash your face. Water the plants when you collect your mail or when you walk your dog. You can also remove some weeds while you wait for the water pump to start.

Step 7. Make it fun

Put on some music or listen to an audio book if what you need to do is a repetitive task, like painting a room. Challenge yourself to finish a certain amount or exceed a certain amount of time. If someone works with you, make them competitive. You can even throw a small bet (with a massage or dinner as a reward) to challenge yourself and have something to prove for yourself.

Step 8. Make it public

Ask a friend to accompany you, or just check your progress. It will be much more difficult for you to shirk your duties if you know someone will find out. There is also a website called StickK.com where you can "sign a contract with yourself" online, visible to anyone, and if you fail to achieve your goal you will need to make a donation to a charity of your choice as part of the 'agreement.

Step 9. Mark the points

Write your progress in a journal or calendar. You could just write down what you did (or didn't do) each day, or you could write down measurements: how far you went, or how fast, how many items you finished, or how long it took you.

Step 10. Take some breaks

It may seem noble to suffer without ever resting, but it is not a sensible thing to do. You and your body need periods of rest to reorganize and re-energize. In particular, during breaks your subconscious continues to work on problems, so it is important to allow yourself this space. Rest is vital to maintaining perseverance.

Step 11. Reward yourself for your perseverance

The rewards will inspire you to persevere in your goal because big goals can take months or even years to reach. The longer it takes to reach a goal, the higher the risk of losing motivation. To avoid this, frequent small rewards can keep you motivated and focused. Make a list of the rewards you will give yourself after certain milestones, such as a small reward for a day of hard work and a larger reward for a month of hard work towards the goal.

• Plan for small rewards. Add a sticker to your collection, a star to your calendar, or a feather to your hat for each section of the completed assignment. Go to the cinema or spend a night at the theater with your friends.

  

• Big Rewards Program. Rewards that require higher costs or planning may be included less frequently, but are vital injections of inspiration. For example, plan to buy yourself a new musical instrument if you reach a certain level of learning; if you are learning a language, plan a trip somewhere where you can practice what you have learned.

  

• The award must be relevant and appropriate to your goal. If you are starting a garden, give yourself a plant for each section of land you prepare. Likewise, if you start an exercise program, don't reward yourself with food. Try a sauna instead.

  

• Treat yourself to the reward only when you reach the finish line. Rewards lose their usefulness if you grant them to yourself without passing a stage.

  

Step 12. Get started

Even if you don't think you can do much right away, you will soon understand what needs to be done and what questions to ask. You may find that your goal is easier to achieve than you thought. Besides, you can never finish what you never started.

Method 2 of 3: Don't Give Up After Failure

Failure is often used as an excuse or a reason for not pursuing a goal or for giving up easily. However, failure is an impulse, when viewed constructively, and it is not something to be afraid of.

Step 1. Accept that failures happen

The most successful people in life have all failed sooner or later. The difference between them and those who live in fear of failure is that successful people face failure, learn from it, and use it to push the next attempt further. They persist because they know that failure is simply part of achieving the result. For your part, learning to see failure as a natural event on the road to success is the key to growth. Ask yourself:

• What is my attitude towards failure? Am I avoiding it by not committing myself to something? Am I afraid of failing?

  

• Am I using the fear of failure to avoid being persistent in my current goals and actions? Does my level of success reflect this?

  

Step 2. Avoid giving up at the first sign of trouble

It is so commonplace that failure turns into confirmation that not trying would be the best option, which in turn turns into rumors about the futility of trying. Anything worth doing or achieving will face obstacles and difficulties. Treat this as a fact and treat challenges as something that test your temperament and shape you for the future, making you stronger, smarter and more compassionate. If at first you don't succeed in what you try, try again and again. If you don't get your dream job or publisher for your novel on your first, second, or third try, keep trying. Too many people think that some refusals are a confirmation that the project will never happen. It is a self-limiting and baseless conclusion; assuming you are sure that your strategy and goal are correct, it is simply a matter of not trying hard enough. Remember that there are many people with many opportunities in the world –– you cannot hope to pitch your wishes and goals to the right people right away every time!

Step 3. Examine the possible reasons for your failure

This is a second option compared to the previous step; when you have already persisted for a long time with your original strategy but see that you keep getting rejections or constantly bumping into obstacles, you may need to adjust the shot. As Rita Mae Brown said: "Stupidity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results." Maybe your blog isn't as exciting as it should be, so your readers don't crowd out as you hoped; maybe your resume doesn't show you your best and so you don't get interviews; maybe your technique to be successful in interviews needs to be polished with the help of an expert because then you do not receive the job offers; or maybe your industrial marketing needs a more innovative approach because that great product or service you offer goes unnoticed.

• Stop and evaluate the things you are doing to achieve your goal; often it is not the wrong goal, but the methodology or the small details that have not been adequately clarified or adapted to your case, to achieve the intended purpose.

  

• Never be afraid of constructive criticism about how to improve yourself - your own honest assessment and that of the people you trust and even that of the competition can give you a lot of information on how to improve your approach to the result. Listen carefully and learn from the things that criticism teaches you.

  

Step 4. Learn to let go gracefully

There is a common phrase that says "never give up". What it really means is "don't give up easily"; it means you have to go all out and try one more time and then reevaluate the approach or even the goal. The phrase "never give up" is not meant to make you a stubborn fool. If the facts tell you to give up on a goal or desire that has proved unattainable or unrealistic despite your best efforts, be reasonable and redirect your energies. Be elegant in defeat, because you've just learned what doesn't work and isn't worth insisting on, but now you can try new ways to achieve your goals.

Step 5. Visualize the result in your mind

When things get tough and you just want to drop everything, restore your will to succeed by remembering your vision. Visualize the final result you want to achieve, with you included in the vision. Make sure it's an exciting sight, something that inspires you and gives you relief. Lull yourself into this vibrant vision and abandon the image of doom. You deserve the result that appears in the vision, keep repeating it as you strive to achieve it.

Method 3 of 3: Be Persistent in Refusing or Demanding Something

Perseverance plays an important role in your personal relationships. When making a request or refusal, the art of perseverance can help you assert your needs and clarify what you are willing to do or not do for others, and it will help you not give in when trying to convince someone that it is. his approval of your request really matters.

Step 1. Be persistent in what you say so people will truly understand what you mean and know that you really mean it

Perseverance can also be seen as a self-affirmation technique, aimed at ensuring that you are properly understood by others and makes it clear that you will not give up without making an informed choice about it. If you are the type of person who barely whispers what he wants or doesn't want from others, or if you get easily trapped and sidetracked when trying to explain what you want, then it will help you a lot to learn to be persistent in relationships with others.

• Perseverance in submitting requests and rejections allows people to know what you want, clearly and without too many frills.
• Perseverance allows you to assert yourself when someone tries to divert you, dissuade you or redirect your will to get you closer to their preferences. Whether or not you get the answer you are looking for, it doesn't matter; it is how you presented yourself that will be remembered by others.

Step 2. Learn the "broken record" technique

It is a common technique used in self-affirmation courses, to help you stay grounded in your initial message and to remind you to come back to it when others try to direct you elsewhere. In practice, this technique consists of making a continuous and clear statement about your feelings, intentions or decisions without getting angry, defensive or irritated, no matter how many times you have to repeat yourself.

• Learn to state a clear and reasonable denial or request repeatedly. To do this you must first be determined (I don't want this or I want that).

  

• Proceed by acknowledging the attempts of others to challenge you, mislead you, or make you feel guilty. These are all attempts to undermine your perseverance.

  

• Avoid getting angry or being mischievous. You simply have to make it clear repeatedly what your preferences are. Remember, the "broken record".

  

Step 3. Do not think that you have "given in" to having adopted a "workable compromise"

Sometimes you may come to the conclusion that a compromise might work if it doesn't make you feel like you've given up too much or been used. In this case, accept the need for compromise as part of your determined approach, listen carefully to what the other person is asking, and ask questions based on what they said to see how willing they are to compromise. In your case, only offer just enough that won't make you feel bitter or used.

An example of a workable compromise: Paolo asked Jenny if she can borrow her car tonight. Jenny has already told Paolo that since she bruised it once, she is no longer willing to lend it to him. Paolo gets irritated and says he is willing to compromise: he will take care of the car and refuel before returning it. Jenny realizes that he is trying to bribe her but is also worried that Paolo will not be able to use public transport after midnight and may therefore have difficulty getting back. However, she is willing to pick up Paolo on her return because she too will be out with some friends in the same area that evening. So Jenny asks Paolo if it's okay for her to pick him up, on the understanding that she'll never lend him the car, but since he'll be in the area, she's very happy to help him get home. Paolo smiles, replies that it's okay and they both feel a warm glow inside. In this situation, Jenny could also make it very clear that this is a unique opportunity and that Paolo will have to find other solutions for future occasions

Step 4. Focus on always reaffirming your request or refusal

This means that you only have to answer questions related to your point and you don't have to get carried away in discussions that have little or nothing to do with the issue but are used to distract you from what you have asked or rejected. When making your request or submitting your refusal, pay attention to the following points:

• Always look in the eye. This shows that you are serious. It is important both when you ask kids to go to bed at the appointed time and when you ask your boss for a raise.

  

• Avoid starting with an excuse unless absolutely necessary. An apology is usually a way to self-eclipse and gives too much power to the recipient realizing that you may be dissuaded from your refusal or request because of a sense of guilt, insecurity or fear.

  

• Always be specific. State clearly what you want done / happen / change, etc. or what you refuse to do / lend / give, etc.

  

• Stay calm, polite and positive. Don't get angry, don't get short-tempered or difficult. Don't sulk. In particular, don't threaten and never overdo it.

  

Step 5. Be reasonable when trying to be persistent

If you have both a request and a refusal, a compromise may be appropriate. In the case of a request, the other person has the right to refuse. Finally, perseverance is knowing that you have given your best, you have fought for yourself, you have not been fooled and you are not angry. Even when you don't get what you want, you have been persevering in a way that has earned you respect and that keeps your dignity completely intact.

Advice

• Learn to overcome setbacks. In particular, don't give up everything because of a problem or a mistake. If you are unsuccessful on Monday, try again on Tuesday.
• Dream big. Most of us will never compete in the Olympics, will not become the director of a large multinational and will not win a Nobel Peace Prize, but we can continue to admire and emulate those who do. What is our model? By copying strategies from a model, you are likely to get similar results to hers. It could also be your competitors' strategy! Ask for advice from people who have succeeded in something that inspires you too and start thinking the same way.
• Never be afraid to ask for help. It's not about leaning on others –– but relying on their support, listening to their advice, working with them as a good listener, and letting them guide you every now and then. Even if you don't have friends or relatives who can fill this role, there are people who can, such as therapists, life teachers and professional counselors. Build a team of "trusted advisors" with them who will help you achieve your goal, as many successful people have done, from Alexander the Great to Simona Ventura.
• Always put your health first in life. Without good health, you risk being afraid, negative and tired all the time, which won't help you in your perseverance. Exercise every day, eat healthy and nutritious foods and get plenty of sleep.
• Part of being successful in keeping a promise is not making unrealistic promises in the first place. If something is actually beyond your abilities or means, saying no or compromising may be your best bet.
• Don't let breakups become permanent. Sometimes, taking a break is the best thing you can do to achieve your goal, but resting indefinitely will derail you completely.

Warnings

• Pay attention to the warnings of those in your field or similar businesses. This way, you will avoid repeating the same mistakes and persisting will be easier.
• If you see that you are constantly banging your head against a wall, it is time to reevaluate what you are doing. Address your persistence in achieving your goals with intelligence.
• Don't treat perseverance as an end in itself. Not only does this risk turning you into a very stubborn person (which Not is the definition of perseverance), but it will also make you boring. A stubborn person is unable to understand when to let go of a goal that no longer serves as a sensible and useful purpose, and that makes failure even heavier. Being "stubborn" in the face of facts that tell you to loosen up a little is not the same as being constructively persistent. On the other hand, a tenacious person knows that they are on the right track based on sensible reasons and assessments of the situation, constantly reviewing the goal to make sure it is still valid and continuing to try to get closer to it.