Three Rarely Mentioned Benefits Of Perseverance

I don’t need to sell you the value of perseverance, as you probably understand this timeless principle. In the end, those with plenty of stick-to-it rarely regret the ongoing efforts they put into projects, hobbies, relationships, problem solving and so on. “Perseverance pays off in the end” is a given. What we don’t often consider, however, are the benefits that genuine perseverance brings every step of the way, before it pays off in the end. This is what I’d like to review here. In short, you don’t have to wait until “things pay off” to be fulfilled, as long as your perseverance is genuine. Here are three benefits to enjoy now.

1. Self-Respect.

No matter what you are struggling with – no matter what – you will respect yourself more if you keep up the good fight. Every day that you continue efforts to make progress, you know within yourself that you are doing all you can. If this is truly the case and you are not holding back, your self-respect will climb, even as problems persist. A recent student in our online NLP course mentioned that for seven years he struggled emotionally while caring for his elderly mother. The care taking responsibility was all consuming and, to make matters worse, his mother was ungrateful and even verbally abusive to him as he toiled on her behalf. Now, six months after her passing, he has no regrets. “I told myself every day that I was doing the right thing, independently of her. That has been its own reward and I won’t ever regret it or look back.”

2. Hope.

Since we all know that perseverance tends to pay off, it is perfect precursor for hope. And there is perhaps no better salve for the soul than the hope for better days to come. This kind of hope makes all the difference. As the ancient Greek proverb suggests: If it were not for hope, the heart would break.

3. The Passion of the Struggle.

This one may be a stretch, but it is my favorite way of thinking about persevering through hard times. In a deeper way, those who valiantly persevere through the difficult challenges of life share something in common with the greatest people who have ever live. Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and discouraged people who simply kept on going. What if Gandhi had given up? In 1947 he was instrumental in freeing India’s 300 million people and he did it non-violently. If his patience over the years had worn thin, history would tell a different story.

The same principle applies to most of the greats in history: The Buddha, Lao Tsu, George Washington, Winston Churchill, Florence Nightengale, Mother Theresa and more. Each of these endured the deepest struggles over many years, quietly (and sometimes not so quietly) dedicated to their cause. Each of them made the world a different place for having existed. When we remain committed to our own personal cause, in a way we join these and other great spirits in the passionate struggle that often defines life and the human condition. It may be a bit corny, but it means something when you think about it.

Regardless of your challenges, begin to take pride in meeting them. If you’ll allow for it, perseverance offers rewards of its own.

——————————————————————————–

Mike Bundrant is a mental health counselor and IANLP Fellow Trainer with the iNLP Center, which offers online NLP training.