Steadfastness or perseverance is very essential for success in life. With courage and a strong determination, men of mediocre powers have done great things. ‘A rolling stone gathers no moss,’ and a man who sticks at nothing, who tries one thing now, and another at another time, and perseveres in neither, can never succeed. Men who persevered have overcome great obstacles which at first sight seemed insurmountable. Napoleon, when he was told that the Alps stood in his way, said, There shall be no Alps, and he did cross them.
Perseverance never fails of its reward. If we strive with a will, success will surely be ours. We should choose our work in life after great care, but when we have once chosen it, nothing should deter us from accomplishing it. There are numerous examples of men who have risen to greatness with perseverance. Demosthenes, the great Greek orator, overcame his defeat of stammering by putting pebbles in his mouth, and by practicing public speaking.
Perseverance has great sustaining power. Moments of despair and disappointment come to man, but the weak and the timid remain in the ‘slough of despond.’ The persevering ones force their way through it, and reach the goal. A man who perseveres is not baffled by the opposition, but goes on and wins in the end; even if he fails, he will have the satisfaction of knowing that he has done his best. The race is not always to the swift, but to the persevering man. ‘Slow and steady wins the race.'[the_ad id=”17141″]
There are three kinds of men, the foolish and the weakminded. who do not begin a work, because they think it difficult and impossible; then there are the cowards, who begin a work, but leave it off unfinished, as soon as they find themselves face to face with difficulties and obstacles; but the noblest men are those who, having undertaken to do a thing, will persevere in it till the end.
We must try to face dangers and difficulties, and overcome them. Flying away from them is not manliness. By perseverance, we can move mountains. Surely, ‘where there is a will, there is a way.’
Whenever a difficulty occurs, we should try to get over it, through it, or round it, but should never yield to it. Never say “die,’ but say, with the courage of a Roman, ‘I shall find a way or make it.’ Determination and perseverance lead to success. “Whatever work you gird up your loins for, persevere, and thorns will turn into flowers,’ says Sa’adi, a great Persian scholar and poet.