Persistence and resilience are not the same.  In fact, persistence is just one piece of a puzzle in what makes one resilient.

In our journey through life, we encounter a multitude of challenges, setbacks, and obstacles that test our strength and resolve.  Our resilience is tested and though persistence is only one quality that helps one be resilient, it is crucial in the broader spectrum of fortitude and perseverance. 

Strengthening Resilience

Being resilient is multi-faceted, holistic, and dynamic.  It’s like a muscle and it can be strengthened. 

Using the muscle analogy, a muscle can be strengthened on purpose by lifting weights or working out.  This is proactively using the muscle to build strength.  Alternatively, you can use your muscles in your job, hobby, or chores and that will strengthen the muscle, too.  Squatting up and down as you clean out your flower beds is sure to leave you sore and you have provided your muscles with a decent workout. 

Resilience gets stronger with practice as well.  You can proactively work on building resilience, or it will happen as you deal with struggles and adversity in life. 

Pieces of Resilience

If you break apart the puzzle pieces of what makes one resilient, you’re going to find pieces of adaptability, tenacity, mental toughness, flexibility, grit, persistence, and more. 

These traits, though not all-encompassing, are important in your resilience. One trait is not more or less important than the others, yet all play a pivotal role in your resilience. 

Using these, single-handedly, or in combination with each other, allow you to make progress in life and move forward even though adversity exists.  Adversity can coexist with progress in life. 

Persistence is Being Committed

Simply put, persistence is sticking to it.  It’s keeping on keeping on.  It’s not giving up.  It’s being committed to whatever the goal or objective is.  It’s choosing to stay the course despite the presence of opposition, adversity, or resistance. 

Determination and will are at the root of persistence.  The dogged determination or desire to reach a goal or objective combined with sheer will gives you pure power to move forward, put one foot in front of the other, or take big leaps.   

Persistence is an energy that pushes you to take action in pursuit of something. 

Persistence in Success or Failure

Lack of persistence is sure to lead to failure.  It’s like stopping before you reach your destination.  It’s quitting.  If you quit the game, you definitely can’t win the game. 

Persistent, progressive action towards something in particular gets you closer to that something with each action you take.  Persistence leads to success.  It takes you to your target.  It delivers you to your destination.

Women and Persistence

Persistence is highly valued in our culture.  When someone might be suspected of lacking persistence, they’re seen as weak, lacking drive, lazy, or a failure.  Though choosing to not be persistent is very different than lazy, our culture typically doesn’t separate the two options and is critical and judgmental around the situation.

Women feel a lot of pressure here.  Though women typically do not lack in persistence, they often are worn out, emotionally exhausted and physically depleted because they “stick to it” and stay the course because they feel like they have no other choice.

Women don’t stop because things get hard.  Women persist, often times as though they have to prove their worth or prove their lack of weakness by showing persistence and perseverance. 

Rest and Persistence

Taking action over and over, persisting, expending and consuming energy, is sure to leave you feeling fatigued. 

Rest, whether it be sleeping, meditating, vacationing, reading, or otherwise, is healthy and helpful in regaining your strength so you can persist some more. 

Taking time for yourself to rest and recover is a form of self-care.  To not take time for yourself to get some rest is self-destructive. 

Conclusion

While persistence is a vital component of resilience, it’s just one piece of the puzzle.  Whether through proactive efforts or through the natural course of navigating life’s challenges, resilience grows while practicing traits such as adaptability, tenacity, mental toughness, flexibility, grit, and of course, persistence.

Persisting, being relentlessly determined to reach your goals, fueled by your unwavering willpower, propels you towards your desired outcomes. 

Cultivating persistence, and in turn resilience, fortifies your ability to withstand adversity and thrive in the face of challenges.  As you move forward through life’s ever-changing and challenging landscape, travel with persistence, strength and grace. 

Need a resilience boost? Click here to read some powerful resilience quotes.