Digging Into the Deep Wells

We spend a lot of time talking about goals and goal-setting, mainly because these are mile markers on the road to a growth mindset. With a brain that goes into maintenance mode when it doesn’t have anything new to fascinate it, new goals keep our minds engaged in two time zones – the present and the future. This is a good thing, because we then avoid that most wasteful of situations – stagnation.

One of the keys to reaching our goals is to keep visualizing – seeing in our minds – the end result we want. This visualizing is a purposeful act. We want to work at keeping that picture of the future vibrant in our minds. If we don’t, the picture fades and we fall into the dreaded stagnation. What we need is persistence.

Now, persistence is something we learn. It’s not first nature, but second nature. And if this is something you haven’t needed to use in a while, it’s time to take it out for a little exercise. Persistence as a personal quality is invaluable, especially during times of uncertainty. In a way, it’s a facet of motivation, but it comes completely from the inside. It’s almost a doggedness to see things through to their ultimate completion. And that completion? What a feeling of exhilaration and pride! This kind of success is totally sweet.

Having persistence as a quality also brings two other vital components to a growth mindset – strength and resilience. Rarely is the path to a goal smooth, with no interruptions. Obstacles are part and parcel of the goal-achievement process. With persistence as a ready companion on these paths, as obstacles show up, we can dig down into our deep well of strength, to shore up our persistence. (Yes, you are that strong inside. Believe it. You may not realize it, because you haven’t needed it much, but it’s there, waiting to be called into action.)

As your strength is adding to your persistence, it’s also reinforcing your resilience. Resilience is second nature, and like persistence, it is learned. It’s your ability to bounce back when you get sidetracked from your path, when overcoming an obstacle has sapped a bit of your strength and persistence. Resilience picks you up, dusts you off, and gives you a lift back to the goal path.

Strength, persistence and resilience are important allies in your quest for your new goals. Keep the picture of what you want front and center, and these three automatically come to your aid. Just keep dreaming!