The older I get, the more I value perseverance.
I wasn’t much of an athlete growing up. The first sport I got involved in? Tang Soo Do, a form of martial arts, when I was 18 years old. Yes, I was intrigued by the discipline, but I also thought the instructor was cute. *Blush*
While I took exams to advance in karate, I didn’t care much for competition. I left that to my younger brother, who was much better at martial arts than I was. Much, much better. He now owns a successful martial arts studio. ‘Nuff said.
Sports is just one of the ways we learn about persevering … how certain failure can become surprising success if we don’t quit. There’s the academic arena, when learning doesn’t come easy because you just don’t get a certain topic — that would be math for me — or because you deal with a learning disability. Relationships provide endless opportunities to persevere: family … friends … business … and those people who are like emotional sandpaper in our lives.
You’re not going to get through life without facing endless opportunities to choose to persevere … or quit. To stay with whatever challenge you’re facing, the one that seems so hopeless, so fruitless, and see the situation become worth all your time, all your effort, all your prayer, all your determination.
Even if things don’t turn out the way you hoped, you were successful because you persevered to the end. You didn’t quit.
In Your Words: When did you “win success out of what seemed destined to be certain failure”?
[ctt template=”8″ link=”X60c4″ via=”yes” ]In Others’ Words: Failure is Never a Certainty https://ctt.ec/X60c4+ #InOthersWords #quotes #perseverance @bethvogt[/ctt] [ctt template=”8″ link=”eZf1R” via=”yes” ]”Through #perseverance many people win success out of what seemed destined to be certain failure.” https://ctt.ec/eZf1R+ #quotes @bethvogt[/ctt]
Comments 7
Here in my own private Alamo, I am disinclined to quit. It’s bad form, and I don’t feel like apologising to God for that failing.
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One think I know about you, Andrew: You are not a quitter.
Guess not. Thanks, Beth.
Closer to Valentine’s you should tell (or re-tell?) the story of how you & Rob met–very worth it. This post brings to mind that saying, “Not to decide is to decide.” I guess the only way we’re guaranteed failure is if we do nothing at all, but while there’s breath left in this body . . . I find I’m fairly competitive and like to give almost any challenge my best shot.
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Dee:
Thanks for sharing the saying, “Not to decide is to decide.” That’s a great truth, too. And yes, failure is guaranteed if we do nothing. I think one of the reasons we like sports of any kind is when we see the last minute-are-you-kidding-me kind of win!
I thought it was funny that you put or because you deal with a learning disability. Relationships provide endless opportunities to persevere: family … friends … business … and those people who are like emotional sandpaper in our lives. together. While it probably wasn’t intentional, I know I have a learning disability with some of my family. 🙂
But I like this post and agree with Delores. No decision is a decision. Also, no plan means you’re planning to fail.
Author
There is a period between those two sentences, although I think it’s funny how you put the two thoughts together. And yes I’ve experienced the same “learning disability” with some of my family too. It’s an area of constant prayer for me. You’re statement “No plan means you’re planning to fail” is brilliant. 🙂