Permit me to say with reason, that persistence is an effective antidote to the weighing vicissitude of life.
Have you ever felt like your heart was going to explode? That was what it felt like during my last visit to one of the praying mountain in Ekiti – State. One of the states in the South-Western part of Nigeria.
The ancient mountain stands at more than 2,400 meters above sea level, and my group eagerly started climbing just after 10 p.m on that faithful day, because our journey was disrupted by the heavy traffics we met on the road.
I ended up alone, behind the group, with more than 900 meters left to go when I slipped, fell and got my left knee strain. It wasn’t funny at all!
“I never imagined the journey would be so difficult.”
Though I worked out regularly, that didn’t prepare me for the altitude. I couldn’t seem to get enough air despite the cool breeze.
I wanted to give up. My body was begging me to stop. My weary mind wanted to follow suit. But I persisted. And I made it to the top—lungs and heart intact, though I got a twisted leg.
In the course of the journey, I learnt so much, and I will love to share a few of what I learnt with you, peradventure you might find yourself in a situation where you could want to give up. These learnt lessons of mine can help you, too.
Six Ways to Encourage Yourself During Tough Times
Self – Acceptance: Eleven Ways to Accept Yourself
Changing Your Thoughts to Ignite Your World
https://www.essentiallifeskills.net/persistence-perseverance.html
Here are the seven focal points that kept me going that very day when everything in me wanted to quit:
- Ignore Everyone Else.
At the beginning of the climb, I only saw the people passing by me. Every time I saw someone moving with ease, I felt bad about myself. But when I stopped worrying and stopped comparing everyone else’s journey to my own, I began to focus on my own mission and how I was going to achieve it.
As you work toward your dream, it can be easy to get distracted when you see others achieving their goals easier, faster, and better than you are doing.
It can make you feel inadequate and unsatisfied with your own progress. But when it comes to conquering a goal, what’s happening with others is irrelevant when it detracts from your ability to move forward.
Moral Lesson: – When tackling a difficult task, you need every ounce of energy you can muster. Make sure to channel it to a place that will propel you forward.
2. Become Your Own Biggest Supporter.
When I started the journey, I wasn’t alone. But within an hour, I was behind and alone.
At first, I was frustrated that my companions abandoned me in my time of need but then I realized my burden wasn’t theirs to bear.
Although it can be energizing to have others around to motivate and support you but having them there is a luxury and not a requirement. That lesson allowed me to turn inward and find in myself, the strength and determination to keep going. I began to encourage and high-five myself with every step.
Moral Lesson: – Sometimes on the road to success, you have to walk alone. If you find yourself in that position, find a way to give yourself what you need to continue.
3. Stop and Appreciate the Little Things.
I began the journey in the dark hour of the night. As I continued to climb, it started to peek around the mountain, giving glimpses of the beauty of nature around me and the sound of the birds. It was magical. During the catch-my-breath breaks, I marvelled at the privilege of seeing nature in all her beauty at night as the moon was shining on them. In those moments, I gave no thought to my struggle. I was too busy being grateful for being right there.
Moral Lesson: – It can be easy to focus all your energy on reaching your ultimate goal but if the only thing you can see is your end destination, you’ll miss the beauty of the journey along the way. The new experiences and welcome surprises provide much-needed fuel to keep going.
4. Focus on the Next Step.
It discouraged me to think how far away I was from the top. So I reframed my goal into mini-milestones that made the next steps more manageable.
Just take one more step, I thought. OK, now just get over to those stones. Alright, once you get to that bench you can stop and rest for a few minutes.
Moral Lesson: – When your goal seems too big, it can feel impossible, which opens the door for resistance to creep in. By breaking your target into bite-sized pieces, you can keep yourself in motion and build momentum.
5. Do Away with the Time Watch
Before the trek, I read that most people make it to the top of the mountain in about 45 to 60 minutes. It took me longer. When I focused on the time it was supposed to take, I became frustrated at myself for not being good enough or fast enough.
Nobody cared how long it took me to get to the top and I shouldn’t have, either. All that mattered was completing my journey.
Moral Lesson: – As you work on reaching your goals, stop looking at the clock. Stop measuring yourself against someone or something else. It will only serve to distract you from focusing on what you need to do right now to advance.
6. Stop Looking for Shortcuts
Not everyone goes to the mountain late at night. You can climb during the day time to the top and save yourself the emotional and physical strain of not seen well at night as the road is narrow, bumpy, sloppy and in bad shape.
Early on in my climb, I thought about retreating but thinking about how to get back home as there will be no vehicle to board back to my base state which is Lagos state from Ekiti state, Nigeria.
Moral Lesson: – When your pain is at the forefront, it is natural to want to make it go away but when you invest time looking for a way to abort your journey, you waste precious energy that could be used to help you overcome momentary pain and discomfort for long-term growth.
7. Acknowledge your Limitations.
I had to be honest with myself. I was having trouble getting air and I couldn’t keep with the pace of the group because of my strained leg. Pushing my body to the limit by trying to keep a faster pace wasn’t going to go well for me. My path needed to be different, and that’s OK. After implementing my new strategy, the journey was less gruelling.
Moral Lesson: – Your road to success might not look like everyone else’s. That’s OK. Everyone’s situation is different. Instead, acknowledge where you are, so you can give yourself what you need to be successful.
Conclusion
In conclusion, as you work to achieve your set goals, there will be obstacles, bumps and bruises along the way. When the journey becomes more uncomfortable than what you are used to, it can be easy to throw in the towel and retreat. However, if you follow these lessons, you can find the strength to keep going in the midst of difficulty and when you persist, you’ll discover the reward was worth the effort.
Don’t give up. Hmmm! Never ever give up too soon.
