Persistence. Dogged persistence. If there is one thing that separates the successful from the rest more than anything else, it’s the refusal to quit.

The refusal to quit is the mark of the winner

We can all start with a heart full of good intentions. We can make rapid advances while the early enthusiasm is still burning brightly. And we can make plans, and visualise, and turn up for extra training, or extra tuition, or extra practice or whatever, while it’s all something of a novelty. But when the shine wears off and the enthusiasm wears thin, how many of us are prepared to stick with the program? How many among us are willing to make the effort needed to bolster the enthusiasm, or rekindle it once it’s flickered for the last time and died? How many have that most essential quality, persistence? The answer, sadly, is very few of us.

Enthusiasm is what keep us going … at least for a while

The thing that keeps us going is enthusiasm. That can be fired up by a heaping helping of motivation. And we can get that from anywhere and everywhere. We can use visualisation, or a mantra, or motivational sayings, or stirring video clips or speeches. But when the enthusiasm has not just flickered but actually died, what then? How can we possibly drag it up from the floor, where it lies, lifeless?

It seems like a hopeless case, and one which many of us experience time after time. We start off with high hopes and we cruise along quite happily for a while, almost literally bubbling over with enthusiasm, and then. like a cheap firework, it starts to fizzle out. And it seems to be an unstoppable process. Once it starts, it seems like there’s nothing that can be done to stop it in its tracks. It’s got us headed for that ol’ project scrapyard once again, the place where all those shiny new projects end up, piled up on top of each other and gathering dust, or rusting into oblivion.

When enthusiasm wanes, can it be revived?

Is it even possible to change things? Well, if you know it’s going to happen in advance it should be. You can always have a backup plan. and if there’s a plan to deal with the situation, you’re in with a chance of halting the decline. But what’s the plan??

You need something that’s quick and easy. Something you can switch on at a moment’s notice and with barely any effort, and happily watch as the flame of enthusiasm catches once again and rekindles stronger than ever. And above all, it needs to be ready … you need to have it prepared in advance, and you need to know what to do the moment you recognise the signs.

Here’s a few of the things you might slot together to form such a plan:

• Have a list of past successes written down. You need to be able to read the list and mentally re-live those successes quickly and easily. Reliving past successes can reignite the fire of enthusiasm as quickly as anything else.

• Have a list of motivational quotes handy. Select the ones you personally find motivating. You could even write your own comments on each quote, highlighting how it is relevant to you and your personal situation.

• Have a list of situations where people kept going and found success, showing dogged persistence against all the odds. Scour the web for such success stories, and make sure they highlight the tenacity and strength of character that was the deciding factor in each story. Copy them to a document for yourself, or rewrite each one briefly, so that you can quickly read and absorb the essentials.

• Have a list of the things you will do when you are wildly successful. Obviously, you will be more prosperous and you will be able to have a nicer house and car, but let’s get a bit more creative here. Imagine some of the more interesting and inspiring things you will be able to do with your new-found wealth. Make it personal! You might love the idea of working towards your pilot’s licence, for example, and you can imagine how wonderful it would be to take flying lessons and master the cockpit controls, the technicalities of flying the plane, how to communicate competently with air traffic control, etc. Have it written down to help inspire you in times when you feel deflated.

  Of course, that’s just an example. What does it for you might be foreign travel, or learning new languages, or acquiring and renovating classic cars, or helping other people emulate your success and start up new companies, or setting up a foundation. Whatever is your wildest dream, write it down as a reminder why you really want to get back up on the horse.

• Recall exactly what motivated you in the first place. And the quick way to do that is to have the reasons written down! Make a list of all the things that you had in mind when you started out on the project. What made you want to start? What inspired you? Who were you trying to emulate, or what project did you use as a template? In what particular way did you intend to become successful?

• How will you feel if you let the current decline in enthusiasm continue? Will you feel deflated? Disappointed? Disgusted with yourself? Will you feel you have let yourself down, yet again? Whatever it is, write it down. When you read that you will want to make sure you don’t have to feel that way!

Having these lists prepared and ready for you to review can make all the difference. Just spending a few minutes reviewing them can be the equivalent of a pep talk from an authority you trust and admire.

And have them prepared in such a way that you don’t have to go searching for them. As soon as you set out on a project, whether it’s a new business venture, a new diet, learning a new language, mastering a new sport … whatever it may be … make it a point to start preparing for the worst as part of your plan for success. This isn’t giving in to negative thinking; it’s realising that a point may very well come when your enthusiasm for the project will wane, and making preparations for that day. And remember, this will become even more potent if it’s more personally suited to you, so try to work out exactly what would motivate you most effectively, and use that when you’re preparing your backup plan.

Enthusiasm gets us going – persistence keeps us going!

Remember also that mistakes are just the stepping-stones to future success. The person who is afraid to make a move in case they make a mistake is making the biggest mistake of all. Stride forward boldly, knowing that mistakes are practically inevitable, and don’t let them get you down. See them for what they are – little springboards to propel you forward towards your target. Make persistence your watch word; it’s what will keep you going when everything else is urging you to quit.

Did you really imagine Thomas Edison came up with well over a thousand patented items, in various fields, without making mistakes? Were you really under the impression Schwarzenegger started lifting weights and almost immediately and without encountering any problems along the way suddenly became Mr. Olympia? Did you fall for all that nonsense about ‘overnight successes’? Trust me, virtually every single case of a so-called overnight success happened after years of hard work, bolstered by unstoppable persistence. 

Hard work, and diligently sticking to it even when the going gets tough is what creates success. And having a backup plan to help you get back on the horse is a sensible precaution, and the sign of a winner.

Persistence means never giving up

So take a leaf out of the Boy Scouts methodology, and Be Prepared!

Take the time to start putting together your lists, and add to them every once in a while, as you come across things that will be useful in rekindling your enthusiasm. You will be preparing the day when you feel your enthusiasm for the whole thing diminishing, and taking sensible precautions to make sure it doesn’t become a permanent state of affairs.