Perseverance and Excellence: The Link That Leads to Desired Results
Author: William G. Covington, Jr. PhD

©2004 William G. Covington, Jr. PhD

Some people call it dogged determination, others view it as focus, still some label it as tenacity. Whatever the phenomenon is called, it is a character trait that is consistently found among people who achieve the outcome they're seeking. It's staying with the task until the job is done. Writing in the 1870s, Presbyterian clergyman William C. McCune advised, "If a man has any brains at all, let him hold on to his calling, and, in the grand sweep of things, his turn will come at last."

Samuel Johnson had a similiar view of the value of perseverance when he wrote, "All the performances of human art, at which we look with praise or wonder, are instances of the resistless force of perseverance." There have been so many cases of this truth illustrated in history that it is something of a common realization, however with human nature being prone to forgetfulness, we have to remind ourselves of the power associated with simply not giving up.

Perseverance begins with belief, an idea, a thought. That is the seed from which action grows. As action is taken, if the challenge is difficult enough, there comes a tempting time of giving up. This sometimes takes the form of distraction. But the person who is persistent will stick with the work at hand until the desired results are reached.

Perseverance is sustained by proper thoughts. When the challenges come one can either be mastered by them or choose to be a victor over them. The person who perservers is the one who continues to work even when it seems monotonous and the results can't be seen. Perseverance never gives up!

Choosing not to give in when the going gets difficult is a demarcation point between those who pursue excellence and those who fall by the wayside. Author Edward Eggleston, writing in the late 1800s said, "Persistent people begin their success where others end in failure." Notice, both encountered difficulties. The persistent person made the choice to continue on, while the others chose to view setbacks as final.






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Dr. William G. Covington, Jr.'s work has been published in scholarly and professional journals and presented at academic conferences on a regular basis. He has held seminars in North America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

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