The Importance of Persistence for Success & Achieving Your Goals
“Persistent efforts pave the path to your goals.”
-Rami from Syria who now works as a Full Stack Developer in Munich
Persistence has become one of these trend words that everyone - in professional and private life - seems to be talking about. For very good reasons!
Persistence is the steadfast determination to continue a course of action or pursue a goal, despite challenges, obstacles, or opposition. The prevailing belief among many of us is that success is attainable solely by those who possess innate talents or have dedicated themselves to studying hard. However, without persistence, even the most exceptional talents or extensive studies can only take us so far.
We reached out to our fellows, many of whom successfully navigated the job market, to share their insights on resilience and the strategies they adopted to foster it. This especially relates to maintaining resilience during the often challenging journey of job hunting.
“Persistence is the fire that ignites passion, fuel progress and ultimately leads to excellence.”
-Bahaa from Egypt who works as a Software Engineer in the UK.
Persistence plays a crucial role in both our personal and professional growth, significantly impacting our potential for success and happiness. Regardless of our background, there will be occasions when circumstances deviate from our expectations, obstacles seem insuperable, and failure becomes inevitable. Experiencing failure early on can often trigger frustration and significantly undermine the initial self-confidence we possess. In many instances, this feeling of defeat may tempt us to abandon our dreams, as it may seem impossible to achieve success in either our personal or professional life and it is during these challenging moments, when the urge to surrender arises, that understanding our purpose and embracing persistence will empower us to overcome any obstacle and then succeed.
“Success tastes even sweeter when savored alongside the bitterness of failures we’ve overcome on our journey.”
-Moh from Yemen who now works as a Senior Software Developer in Düsseldorf
Why being persistent is so important?
- Persistence, essential for realizing our dreams, instills motivation and ambition, enhancing our effort and inspiring others.
- Through persistence, we understand the true value of success, appreciating the importance of time, effort, and sacrifice.
- Failures, while challenging, offer valuable lessons and insights into our weaknesses, fostering resilience and driving us to strive for success.
- Persistence promotes consistency, a crucial trait for both personal and professional life, enriching our journey towards our goals.
- Despite unexpected obstacles, persistence enables us to persevere, presenting significant rewards and fueling our determination.
“Success is no accident, it is a result of hard work, perseverance, persistence, learning from your mistakes, studying, sacrificing, and most of all, loving what you do. Also, the harder you work, the luckier you get.”
-Johnny from Nigeria who works as a Software Developer in Portugal
Ways of becoming more persistent:
- Remember Why You Started
- Create a Vision and Identify Your Wants and Desires
- Set Small and Achievable Goals
- Focus on the Journey and not on the Outcome
- Keep a Positive Mindset and Build your own "Mastermind Group" (the best way to do that is to join Imagine 🚀)
- Develop Discipline, Habit, and Commit to Consistency (check out the book "Atomic Habits" by James Clear, the Imagine team 💛 it)
- Find Balance: Self-Care, Self-Development, Personal Life, Professional Life
- Practice Gratitude
In summary, persistence is vital as it requires work and determination to achieve what we want in life. It paves the way for success and provides the opportunity to accomplish our goals and find our dream job.
“No matter where you come from or what obstacles come in your way. Your steadfast persistence will always carry you to the pinnacle of success.”
-Mohamed from Syria who works as a Software Developer in Köln
As always, we are rooting for you! 💪
Don't forget to follow us on LinkedIn for more tips and regular webinars on topics like persistence, resilience, and many, many more!
Cheers, Marisa & all at team Imagine 💛
© 2018-2022 Imagine Foundation e.V. Made with 🤍 in Berlin.