Tough times never last, but tough people do

Tough times never last, but tough people do. – Dr. Robert Schuller

Tough times? Persevere, they won't last forever.

What does that mean?
Given the current economic situation, this seemed an interesting quote to tackle. It reminds us that the tough times come and go. Even if things seem bleak today, in a few years it will likely be very different. The quote then says that tough people do last. It implies that the people who can weather the tough times are sufficiently tough to handle just about anything.

Together, the two parts of the quote reminds us that while the difficulties are transient, people are durable. By durable I mean that tough people can persevere, that you can persevere, through anything that you might have to face.

Why is perseverance important?  
You already have outlasted most of your childhood difficulties, the difficulties of learning to walk, talk, feed yourself, dress yourself and so many others. If you’ve ever known a person who is going through physical therapy to learn how to walk again, or re-learn any other basic skill, you have a clue about how tough it really is. If you haven’t, it is both gut wrenching and glorious at the same time.

Perseverance is the ability to stick with it despite the desire to let go. Some say it is the small voice deep inside you that says “hang on” when the rest of you screams to give up. It can be tough to hang on, but that’s what makes you a tough, or durable, person. One who perseveres is one who doesn’t quit when things go against them, or when the odds go from bad to worse.

Where can I apply this in my life?
Perseverance in the face of difficulties is a defining trait of humanity. While not all of us square off against every difficulty in life, most of us are willing to face the challenges that are important to us. I’m not talking about ‘bar room’ challenges, but the truly difficult portions of our lives.

I face difficulties gladly for two reasons. The first reason is that I don’t usually have any choice about facing the difficulty, so I’d rather do it gladly than reluctantly. The other reason is I like to test my limits. Whether it’s learning new skills, climbing a tree/rock face/boulder, jumping out of an airplane, or surviving a hardship, I want to see what I’m made of.

I’m focusing on the attitude in this post because I feel it is crucial to perseverance. If you are reluctant, how do you feel? Say this to yourself: “Oh well, I suppose that if I have to…” What is your posture like? Victorious or Defeated? What is your energy like? Are you ready to take it on, or are you ready to lie down and give up? Which is the attitude of perseverance?

Please note that perseverance does not mean you always win. I persevered through one part of my life where I lost nearly everything. I ended up divorced and bankrupt. But I persevered. I never gave up. I kept going to work, I kept moving forward with my life as best I could. The tough times didn’t last, but I did.

Grab some paper and write down several of the difficulties have you faced in the past. Then write down next to each if you gladly faced these difficulties. If so, why? If not, why not? Write down what your attitude was, both at the beginning and at the end of each of the difficulties.

Did you notice a pattern in the instances where you persevered? Was your attitude, especially at the start, a part of what helped you persevere? The handful of people I spoke with found that having a positive attitude was a big factor for them. How about when you didn’t persevere? How was your attitude those times, both at the start and at the end?

The question of how to persevere, in my mind, boils down to the question of how to keep a positive attitude. For me, my attitude depends on what I focus on. I have found that if I focus on the difficulty, my attitude tends to go down. I try to focus on the good things that await, once the tough times are over.

I know, it sounds so easy, doesn’t it? But it actually is fairly easy, once you train yourself. I would start small, and any time you get a task, chore or job that you really don’t enjoy (like taking out the trash or doing the dishes), practice perseverance.

Don’t set your attitude based on the task at hand, but on what you can do after you complete it. If you have a whole list of chores, think of what you’ll do after you’re done. Keep a positive attitude and the task becomes less onerous. Keep the faith, keep a good attitude and keep working hard, and you will persevere.

Sometimes, your attitude is all you’ve got. Protect it!

From: Twitter, @QuoteHouse
confirmed at : http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/r/roberthsc156000.html
Photo by Peter Alfred Hess