Until…

Is it just ME, or are you, too sometimes “accused” of being stubborn?

You got me; I admit it: I am stubborn!  I suppose it’s in my genetic makeup – particularly on my Dad’s side – the thick-headed Irish side!

I recently came across a quote that has stuck with me.  I don’t recall who said it, (perhaps Napoleon Hill?) and I am probably paraphrasing, but the essence of the message was: 

Q:  How long should you keep trying?

A:  UNTIL!

Now I ask you, is that being stubborn?  Is that not, then, a good thing?

Here’s how I see it…stubborn for the sake of being stubborn is self-defeating, potentially, irrational.  Holding out for the win in the face of an opposing, more logical approach is nothing short of fool-hearty; that’s being stubborn in its worst possible way.

   

As recently written in another Beth’s Blog, ‘there are always 2 sides…’; so let’s look at the ‘other side of stubborn’:  CONVICTION.

It is important to have conviction and deeply-rooted belief in everything we pursue – otherwise, why pursue it?  

The difference is that the intelligent person can discern the line between the two.  So, back to the quote, above.

When you have a very strong belief, true conviction, it’s alright to be ‘stubborn’ at least up to the point of not repeating mistakes.  Conviction means to try and try again...UNTIL – until you learn from what didn’t work…and you keep aiming for the goal in a different way.

It’s easy to give up!  It’s easy to bail on dreams that, in your older years, haunt you as “what if’s”.  Dreaming is good, it is necessary – as long as it is followed up with action…UNTIL.

As I write this post, I recall not less than 6 previous ones that, in one way, or another, cross-paths with this entry.  CONVICTION?  Perhaps!

Let’s go back to Napoleon Hill, who may or may not have authored the thought I cannot escape from.  Known as a pre-eminent father of modern day thinking on the subject of success, I was shocked to read that his own successes were episodic and short-lived.  Most of his ventures were ill-planned, under-financed and eventual failures…UNTIL

When the likes of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison read his “The Laws of Success” did he gain legitimacy and credibility…. UNTIL

The Great Depression of the 1930’s (USA) delivered him back into poverty…UNTIL

In his late forties, he wrote “Think and Grow Rich”, which has become the hallmark of learning how to achieve success, a virtual genesis for the likes of other modern day thinkers, including Tony Robbins, who also didn’t rise to any notable level of success…UNTIL.

UNTIL…we try and we try…UNTIL…we either give up or we try UNTIL we need not try anymore – BECAUSE…because it worked, we accomplished our goal, we embrace success…UNTIL we set another goal.

So, IS it just me, or do you, too, feel that being stubborn may not always be the worst thing in the world, for having conviction is to have faith and hope - in yourself.

Until… the next time…