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VIVYD Magazine: KEMP A/Effect PERSEVERANCE Above Persistence
PERSISTENCE above PERSEVERANCE
Editorial by Raymond Kemp
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Imagine two people are given a location to pick up a substantial gift for themselves; “go in and get your gift”. One person is applying persistence and the other person applies perseverance. Which one do you think gets the gift first? They both go to the door and knock. The person who is persistent is going to knock on the door and knock on the door. Same person may leave and come back and knock on the door again. They are persistent! But they continue to do the same thing over and over again persistently knocking on the door seeking to get the gift. No matter how committed they are to their persistence they will not necessarily get the substantial gift.
The other person who is applying perseverance will do the same thing, they will knock on the door and wait for a response. However if no answer, this person is going to check the doorknob to see if the door is open, look in the window to see if anyone is inside, go around the back to see if anyone is outside, and then pick the lock and get the substantial gift.
Persistence can be defined as doing something no matter how difficult the task. The person only applying persistence can morph into a copout and procrastination because it is only going to continue to do the same thing over and over again. This may happen to those masking their fear with, (“this is just how I am”, “we always do it this way”), because they are afraid to try something different.
Perseverance is persistent, agile, malleable, creative, innovative, and gritty. The person who is applying perseverance refuses to fail no matter how difficult and no matter how long it takes; willing to delay gratification. Which person are you? Clearly there are amazing results that come from persistence. Consider the drop of water that challenged the hard ground and remained persistent; resulting in one of the seven natural wonders of the world: The Grand Canyon. There is much to be said about persistence it certainly has its place.
If all you have is hammer and nails be persistent, consistent, and safe. However, if you have plans and a toolbox activate your perseverance and your mind!
“Believe and you can achieve” is taught in religions, social groups, educational systems and faiths around the world. The sincere belief you can accomplish a task, mission, or dream creates a mindset full of ideas and possibilities. The journey is as satisfying as the destination when you know you are going to get there based your preparation and self-discipline.
Through the lens of perseverance let us consider when Isabel Marant, Stella McCartney, and Clare Waight Keller at Givenchy—decided to bring their talents in women’s fashion to the menswear game, a conscious decision that was going to require artistic creativity and confidence. GQ Magazine reported, “For the past five years, the men’s fashion business has grown faster than women’s and is estimated to swell to a $460 billion (with a capital B) industry in the next two years. Designer menswear is going to make up $33 billion (that’s a capital B, too) of that.” Their perseverance is literally paying off and paying handsomely. What about us? Do we have the perseverance that Marant and her cohort have? Are we inspired by our inner-circle or if not, as Nipsey Hustle suggested, do we have cage?
I was recently at a shopping mall and saw one interesting strategy applied by two very different people. First I observed a young girl and her father shopping for shoes. She put on a pair of tennis shoes and took off running full speed down the aisle, like Dash from The Incredibles. When she got back to her father, she had a huge smile and said, “yes daddy these make me faster.” Later, while in Bottega Veneta, I observed a woman try on a pair of heels and walk through the store as if she was on the catwalk, like she owned it. These two modeled for us the habit highly successful people do when operating outside of our normal rituals, rehearse. Our task preparation should always include mental and actual rehearsals. Large or small, frequent or infrequently done, envision the successfully completed task and details with which it is accomplished. Visioneering is the first step towards accomplishment and builds our confidence before going live. Casting an eye towards the task stimulates our innovative mind and readies us for unforeseen challenges. Do this often because when you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.
Want to level up your perseverance? A solid routine is a move in the right direction. Routine things should happen routinely. The routine is an opportunity to recharge your attitude and confirm your self-confidence. By executing a routine, you are reaffirming things already known therefore solidifying your attitude. You are also testing and validating your beliefs just as the two ladies above tested the performance of the shoes that they were trying on.
As we intentionally stride into 2021, let us remain committed to excellence, fully engaged in our vocational interactions treating friends, family and neighbors with the dignity and respect that we expect from them.
Inspire yourself by writing down your goals, gratitude’s, manifestations, and affirmations daily. We are going to have a magnificent year! Continue to encourage yourself often with these ten two letter words, “If It Is To Be, It Is Up To Me!”
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