Can You Develop Perseverance?

It was confusing to me when realized that I have limits and boundaries to my perseverance because I felt like, yes!, I am someone who perseveres.

This realization came when I was introduced to the Strengths Strategy model of coaching and came to deeply understand how all of my 34 strengths come into play in who I am and how I show up.

For example, Consistency and Discipline fall in the basement of my strengths so I do not preserve just for the sake of perseverance. Yet, when my Belief strength is tapped along with Activator, Command and Self Assurance I can persevere with the best of them.

For all of us, the key to perseverance is knowing which strengths we can tap into in order to persevere. And, being aware of which strengths are in your basement – those that you need to mitigate in order to be successful in circumstances where perseverance is important to you.

This is part 4 in the 5-part series on The Power of Perseverance by Diana Gabriel, Certified Strengths Strategy Coach.

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If you’re a leader who struggles with perseverance, there is hope. You can adjust your mindset and behavior. I see this transformation happen in the clients I work with. Perseverance can be learned and mastered if you make a commitment to the process of changing your habits. Learning requires patience and means taking one small step at a time to become proficient in the next one. No one can change his or her habits in one giant leap.

Harnessing Wisdom
If you’re a seasoned leader, pause to take stock of your experiences and draw upon what you have learned. Work on being more patient with long-term projects, and resist a rapid-reward approach. Look back over your career and note what has worked and what hasn’t. Learn from past successes, mistakes, and avoid pitfalls that resemble past failures.

By reflecting on past setbacks, you can see how your worst fears were probably unjustified. Likewise, future setbacks won’t be fatal, and they offer an opportunity to learn and be better prepared.

You’re better positioned to persevere when you rely on what you know to be true, rather than succumbing to emotional responses and feelings that throw you off course. Focus on facts substantiated by your past successes.

Finding Fulfilling Work
Seek work that makes use of your strengths, interests and personality traits. If you have a vivid imagination, find a position that permits you to creatively apply your strengths. If you love people, assume a role that allows you to foster strong relationships. If you’re analytical, take a job solving complex problems. Duties that align with your strengths, interests, and values will fulfill you.

You can persevere when you’re fulfilled and love what you do. Not every aspect of your job may be gratifying, but if you enjoy your work you’re more likely to push through when circumstances get tough.

Developing Discipline
If you lack the discipline to stick to your plans, you may not have the strengths of discipline, focus, or consistency. Failing to stay the course puts you and your people, who depend on you to do what’s best, at a disadvantage. You need to figure out what strengths you have to apply to the circumstances in order to stay the course.

Develop a discontent for complacency. Leading people is hard work. There are many needs to address, even in highly effective, successful organizations. Maintaining a well-run organization takes finding a way to stay the course and working to correct a struggling one. You can persevere with a committed approach to your duties. Keep yourself accountable, perhaps with a trusted colleague who holds you to your tasks, to stay on course. Don’t let yourself give in or give up.

Do you struggle with staying the course? Do you struggle to persevere? How are you developing your perseverance? I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me here and on LinkedIn.