Once, Angela Lee Duckworth, a psychologist from the University of Pennsylvania, revealed an important secret she discovered about the power of perseverance in an intriguing TED Talk. She stated that it's time for modern parents to reconsider how they raise their children for success, as intelligence is not always the measure of success; rather, perseverance is the key quality that should be instilled in children.

        Angela defines perseverance as the commitment to long-term goals—not just for weeks or months, but for years, and doing it with great effort. Perseverance is about living life like a marathon, not a sprint.

         

The question is, if perseverance is like a springboard that propels ordinary people toward their goals, what are the factors that determine how far one person can soar compared to another? This question will no longer be unanswered, thanks to the 5 pillars that serve as a gauge of the power of perseverance within you.

        1. Courage Here, courage does not mean you have to don the role of a warrior or a hero saving the world, but rather overcoming fear and moving past failure without hesitation. Those with high perseverance must not fear falling but instead view obstacles as part of the process toward success. The more challenging the tests that come, the more valuable the lessons that will lead to even greater achievements.

        2. Conscientiousness Psychologists have classified personality traits into five major dimensions (Big 5 Personality Factors): emotional instability (Neuroticism), extraversion (Extraversion), openness to experience (Openness to Experience), agreeableness (Agreeableness), and conscientiousness (Conscientiousness). Angela views “conscientiousness” as one of the most important traits affecting perseverance, as individuals with this trait tend to have high self-discipline, a sense of duty, a clear goal for success, and a penchant for planning ahead to control their actions and express their internal desires appropriately. In contrast, those with low conscientiousness often lack ambition, have no clear life goals, appear unreliable, and live according to their short-term desires, unable to follow established plans.

         3. Long-term Goals The heart of perseverance that Angela always emphasizes is not just about being diligent but also about being patient and dedicated to reaching the destination. Live life as if running a marathon, not a short 4x100 sprint.

        4. Flexibility Sometimes, looking only ahead may not mean you will reach the destination faster, but a steadfast heart is the crucial compass. As long as you have perseverance and determination, encountering unexpected obstacles along the way is not a big deal. Whenever faced with challenges, simply use confidence, creativity, and a positive outlook to cope. Those with perseverance in their blood believe that no matter what happens, everything will ultimately turn out well, as long as things are not as hoped, it means they have not yet reached their destination.

        5. Doing Your Best Where You Stand Don’t be surprised if what those with perseverance seek is not perfection. The concept of perfection, or what many are familiar with as perfectionism, can be an obstacle to perseverance, preventing one from reaching their dreams because they focus solely on the outcome, overlooking other important aspects. In contrast, those with perseverance choose to seek excellence instead. When we do not set the goal of everything being perfect and flawless, it means our hearts are still open to accepting failure and mistakes, ready to improve and start anew without giving up.

Thank you for the source:  www.forbes.com