Perseverance
"I persist toward my goals despite obstacles, discouragements, or disappointments."
Become Aware Of Your Strength
What is Perseverance?
Perseverance is sticking with things. It means being hardworking and finishing what is started, despite barriers and obstacles that arise. The pleasure received from completing tasks and projects is very important to those who are high in perseverance. Sometimes he or she must dig deep and muster the will to overcome thoughts of giving up. Perseverance involves organizing oneself to support activities (e.g., scheduling breaks and sticking to them, rewarding in small ways along the way), but when all else fails, this strength helps the person to barrel through until the project is done. Th is helps build further confidence for future successes and goal accomplishment. Perseverance involves the voluntary continuation of a goal-directed action despite the presence of challenges, difficulties, and discouragement. There are two vectors of perseverance. It requires both effort for a task and duration to keep the task up.
Research findings on the benefits of Perseverance found perseverance helps to improve skills, talents, and resourcefulness as well as build other character strengths. Persistent people are often seen as people who follow through on commitments. This contributes building trust that can be a foundation for good relationships. In fact, trustworthiness is one of the most important dimensions on which other people evaluate us. Perseverance builds self-confidence, a general belief that things can be accomplished in life and that personal control can be exerted so you can perform effectively.
Explore Your Strength
Reflect on how you’ve used perseverance in the past, in everyday life and during special or critical times.
- When does persevering in a task feel engrossing to you as opposed to a chore?
- What causes you to stop persevering?
- When you succeed in persevering, how does that affect how you approach subsequent challenges?
Wondering about times that you may be using this strength? Here are a few examples of perseverance at work in the world.
- When you experience a relationship setback and feel the urge to pull back from that person, instead you can use this opportunity to move the relationship forward by addressing it directly.
- When you find yourself struggling with a project, paying attention to doing the best you can — putting forth strong effort — rather than focusing on a perfect final outcome.
- Setting small goals weekly. Breaking them into practical steps, and accomplishing them on time.
Apply Your Strength
How can you make the most of perseverance in your everyday life? In the moments that matter most? Here are some ideas.
- Set five small goals weekly. Break them into practical steps, accomplish them on time, and monitor your progress from week to week.
- Keep a checklist of things to do and regularly update it.
- Select a role-model who exemplifies perseverance and determine how you can follow her/his footsteps.
