Persistence

 

I had to run to the Post Office in our town to mail a few packages.  I parked in a municipal lot and saw a car with bumper sticker that said:

 

Choose the path of most persistence.

 

I liked it.  It was inspirational and I thought I might blog about it.  I took a photo of it to improve the probability that I would actually write about it.  Apparently, the photo worked

When I got around to looking at the photo to edit it for this blog.  I noticed that underneath the message in smaller print was a URL:  elizabethwarren.com.  On seeing this, I felt a little disappointed.  I did not want to think about this as something political.  I was thinking more about wanting to write something more akin to Never Give Up which is the most read post of this blog.  After all, persistence and never giving up are basically the same thing.

It is nothing really against Senator Warren.  About half of the time, she makes lots of sense.  She says thing and makes suggestions that make me think.  The other half of the time?  Well, the other half of the time I really think we are from different planets, and I am not sure which of us is from Earth.  I seem to disagree with her more fervor than agreeing with her makes me think hence the bit of disappointment with the bumper sticker.

Goals that take hard work and a long time to achieve require passion, dedication, and persistence.  The bigger and bolder the goal or aspiration, the more challenging it for most people, including me.  This could easily explain why I haven’t yet… well never mind.  Such disclosures would require a book to explain more than a few blogs.

This simple but powerful message of the bumper sticker reminds me of the famous quote from Calvin Coolidge:

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 slogan 'Press On!' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

I read this quote when I was an undergraduate.  I believe I saw it a poster somewhere.  Posters were with motivational or ‘make you think’ messages were quite popular back in those days.  I do not see them so much anymore.  I sometimes keep them on my phone as I suspect others do.  Of course, I have also blogged about them e.g. Motivational Quotes.

The reason the Coolidge quote resonated so well with me back in my undergraduate days is because, I was already aware that I struggle somewhat with long range goals.  I have been persistent with some goals and have had some modicum of success and satisfaction.  With others the goals?  Let’s just say they have been a bit more aspirational than successful.

I’ll keep on keeping on with what’s working and continue to try to shift the balance on the aspirational/fulfillment scale.  After all, I have Elizabeth Warren and Calvin Coolidge both urging me on.