Enthusiasm is not enough; to succeed, you need endurance

Passion is vital, of course, but to ride the roadblocks as though you have no choice but to, is what makes endurance difficult—and rewarding

Bhavna Dalal
Updated: Oct 9, 2019 10:29:26 AM UTC
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Image: Shutterstock

I was driving back from my nth meeting—I think it was the 23rd. I remember quite clearly, the human resources person had spoken to me very nicely, but I was sure that was the first and last time I was going to see her, just like all the other meetings I had attended in the past. Always polite and a final note to say they will get back; but nothing.

My mind would argue against the credibility of people in that position to make decisions and feel sorry for myself at the same time. I used to stare at the menial rupee amount in the bank SMS message each morning, almost a wakeup call of my consistent failures.

I believed my Career 2.0—that of a coach, author and facilitator was purpose-driven. The passion for the work and a need to make a difference was unbridled; why couldn’t others see that?

Looking back from where I am fortunate to be today—the highest level of coaching certification, regular flow of substantial income and a book deal under my belt, I can only give credit to one thing: Not giving up. I can also appreciate now that every unfruitful meeting was necessary to teach me or protect me, no matter how terrible I felt then.

Once upon a time, there was a village facing a terrible drought. The well-respected local priest told the villagers if they dug in a particular area, they would find water underground. A group of the strongest men in the village started digging. After going at it for over an hour, they did not see any signs of breaking water, so they decided to start ploughing at another nearby location. This activity continued until the sun started coming out. They looked back and realised they had dug at ten different spots, and there was no sign of any water. If only they had persisted at the same place, they most certainly would have succeeded in their quest.

What makes endurance so hard?

Endurance is the ability to keep going in the face of an unpleasant or painful process or situation. Of course, it can be hard. On hitting a roadblock, what prevents most people from crossing over are doubts and fears. No one likes dealing with rejections or failures. But if only you can detach from the situation and self-judgment, you can endure it. It is one thing to learn from mistakes, but taking that upon yourself or people you work with will not help. That is one thing that will prevent you from being able to be resilient.

Yes, enthusiasm and passion for what you do are vital; however, if combined with a belief in your vision, you will be able to endure anything that comes your way. Sometimes not giving yourself a choice is one way to stay at it. Now with this realisation, when a project does not materialise, I accept it as a blessing in disguise. I know I cannot see all the reasons below the makeup, but I do believe it is for my greater good. This attitude helps me get through the gravest of failures.

The author is Founder and CEO of Talent Power Partners, a Leadership Development company based in Bangalore, India.

The thoughts and opinions shared here are of the author.

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