What Do You Really Want: How To Persist

What do you really want that's important to you and how effectively will you persist, without exception on your path towards it?

After watching yesterday's video on persistence and perseverance, it caused me to realize how often I say I'm persisting in particular aspects of my life, but in reality -- if I examine it closely -- that's simply not true.

More typically, I will persist for a while until I'm uncomfortable, but then quit because I don't like the stretch.

I throw down the shirt in disgust and walk away.

Which I suppose ultimately means it's just not that important to me. Or, more accurately, I've failed to remind myself why it's important ot me.

Be remembering what it is I really want that's most important to me, I'm going to become much more able to persist through the tough spots. I will be more prepared to persist without exception.

Let's say I'm unhappy with my weight.

I want to lose 10 pounds so I begin a daily workout regimen. But after a few days, I feel tired and would rather not work out. So I skip the session. Which makes it easier to skip the next one. Pretty soon, I've abandoned my workout regimen altogether. And then I say I can't lose weight.

Well, at the point I am feeling too tired and don't feel like working out, what is it I really want?

Is it to skip the workout? Or maybe it's to find some energy to allow me to work out. What was it that led me to start the workout regimen in the first place? Oh yeah ... I want to lose 10 pounds. If that's still what I want that's most important to me, then what might I rather want right now. Is it to skip the workout or perhaps it's to do something that motivates me and gives me the energy to work out? Hmm ... given that, what do I want to do next ...

Perhaps I have the impulse to want to feel better, so I reach for the ice cream in the freezer. That will make me feel better ... oh, but what about the 10 pounds? What is it I really want that's important to me? Is it to lose the 10 pounds or is it to feel better right now in this moment?

And if it is to feel better right now in this moment, does it mean it has to be with the ice cream? What else might make me feel better that isn't going to conflict with what I really want, which is to lose the 10 pounds?

As I'm considering or about to make a choice or decision, when I take the time to pause and remind myself what it is I really want, it gives me the perspective to assess my choice. And in doing that, I'm more often than not going to make a better choice that allows me to persist with whatever it is I've chosen to take on.

I remember what I want, which makes it easier for me to persist.

Persistence And Perseverance

Persistence and perseverance are essential qualities to becoming successful in life.

We've talked about them a number of times in this blog. It's your willingness to persevere -- to persist without exception -- that is going to enable you to accomplish what you want to accomplish. And it's what enables you to discover your life of inspired abundance.

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. I found this video clip today and it is a wonderful illustration of the concept of persistence and perseverance.

Andy Andrews Hernando Cortez Burn the Boats

One of my favorite stories is Andy Andrews' description of the Hernando Cortez expedition to the Yucatan and the power of "burn the boats" in enabling you to go after what you want.

As background to the story, in February 1519, Hernando Cortez sailed from Cuba to the shores of the Yucatán. He commanded 11 ships, with more than 500 soldiers, 100 sailors, and 16 horses, bound for Mexico to take the world's richest treasure -- one which had been unconquerable for over 600 years.

Cortez uttered three words to his army that established a new level of commitment and persistence to their endeavor: "Burn the boats".

So the question becomes this. If you are truly looking to live a life of inspired abundance, what are the boats that you must burn in your life?

Or to put it another way, what things in your life are you allowing to hold you back and that are preventing you from really going after what you want with full and complete commitment?

Perhaps it's time to burn those boats.

The seventh decision Andy Andrews talks about in The Traveler's Gift is I will persist, without exception. I've come to discover that there are times when a burning of the boats is precisely what's necessary to allow me to really go after what I want.

Persist Without Exception and more on Andy Andrews

Persist without exception has certainly been one of the dominant themes as I've been reviewing the emails that have been sent to me lately in response to our Andy Andrews feature.

Today I am sharing another submission I received as part of the Inspired Abundance contest focused on Andy Andrews.

Today's post is from Colleen Walmsley. Visit Colleen's website.

When I first pondered what “persist without exception” was, my default reaction was it was a verb, action, or character trait that one possessed to have success.

Yes, persistence or perseverance is about continuing to take right action to achieve the desired outcome; however, it also applies to controlling your thoughts or mind as well.

My new awareness: Persistence is a state of being. It is the conviction and commitment ones puts forth in a consistent manner to achieve their next level of greatness. Persistence goes beyond “trying.” It is the conviction that there is real value in your dreams. It is about staying the course and embracing the challenges and stretching that is required on the path of achieving ones goals and dreams. It is about holding true to the deep seeded belief and faith or space from within for the new desired outcome or result.

Persistence is about being your end result as you walk the journey. This encompasses your actions and the thoughts that run through your mind while on this journey.

I now realize that obstacles and challenges are necessary and will appear along the journey. A challenge can either:

1. drag you into the old conditioning pattern and reroute you from achieving your goal OR


2. Instil a new awakening from within and activate new thinking.

Every challenge presents a choice. It is how you react to those thoughts and events that will shape your new path.(As a result of this new awareness, I have elected to reread The Traveller’s Gift and take time out to really reflect on the significance these foundations. Thank you Warren for drawing my attention to this work again.)

Wonderful sharing Colleen. Thanks for the terrific feedback.

Andy Andrews I Will Persist Without Exception

I will persit without exception.

In celebration of the upcoming release of his newest book, Mastering The Seven Decisions, we are revisiting Andy Andrews and the seven decisions that determine personal success from his classic book The Traveler's Gift.

Today we conclude our profile on Andy Andrews with decision number seven: I will persist without exception.

In his book Mastering the Seven Decisions, Andy Andrews says that without the decision to persist, without exception, the other six decisions are meaningless.

Of course, it's the phrase "without exception" that is the key to this principle. Most people decide to persist until they quit ... which is not the same thing as persisting, without exception.

If you have truly decided that you are going to achieve what you set out to do, then you control the rules of the game, and the game is on until you win.

No matter how long it takes.

Without exception.

Anytime that you attempt something that is truly worth having, you are going to encounter obstacles. Most great achievements are difficult; that's part of what makes them great. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

Adversity is preparation for greatness.

In Andy Andrews' book Traveler's Gift, David Ponder recieves the seventh decision of personal success from the Archangel Gabriel. "God may have been waiting centuries for someone ignorant enough of the impossible to do that very thing!"

Here's another video from my wealth creation newsletter series in which I reflect specifically on Andy Andrews' seventh decision, I will persist without exception.

Today is the final day of our contest! Remember Inspired Abundance is giving away 5 brand new copies of Andy Andrews new book, Mastering The Seven Decisions. Simply post a comment about the 7 decisions to this blog and you are automatically entered.

I will announce the winners tomorrow.

But I can't just leave it at that. This is such an important decision to make in life that it merits reinforcing. So I have one more video for you. As you watch it, repeat the seventh decision to yourself: I will persist without exception.