Endurance

When I think of reaching goals, there is one topic that always has to be discussed and that is ‘Endurance’. In one of my previous blogs, we talked about ‘Dreams’ but part of reaching dreams is finding ‘Endurance’ through the journey.

When Mark Twain said “Write what you know” he hit the nail on the head. I have found that chasing after dreams takes a rare form of something called ‘Endurance’. The broad definition is “the fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way.”

This week I am joined in my video and blog by a good friend of mine, Jon Shafeei. Jon is also a member of the John Maxwell team and the one responsible for getting me interested in joining the John Maxwell team. I met Jon through 9Rounds. This is a kickboxing gym with a location 2 minutes from my house. When I look back, me, of all people, joining a kickboxing gym just doesn’t add up but I have been working out there for over 9 months now. And…one thing I have learned is a little something called ‘Endurance’. I asked Jon to tell me the importance of Endurance what he thinks about when he hears the word Endurance and what steps he takes to ‘stick with it’?

“Endurance can be spoken about from many different perspectives. Most often we view it from the finish line. Looking back at past experiences and challenges we notice the amount of endurance that was required to finish and finish well.

In many ways we start a lot of things in life, many which are worthy of our time and efforts, that will require great endurance to be able to see them come to completion. Unfortunately for most people, they give up before they ever had a chance to enjoy the view from the finish line. To speak about and inspire others with the story of great endurance, through trial, to reach their goal. So how can this perspective of endurance help you on your journey? How does one stay the course when the odds seem too impossible, fight too tough, exhausted and ready to give up? By never losing hope and put your next foot forward towards your goal when your mind starts telling you no.

Henry Ford said, “Any goal, no matter how large, can be achieved if you break it down into enough small steps”. What is the small step required next? By reminding yourself of the small step to victory today it will build endurance and momentum to move into the journey that lay ahead.

This is true in any area of our life. The goals we have to be healthy, financially successful, improve our depth of relationships, grow in emotional stability and spiritual faith all must be viewed from the long-term perspective. One day, one step, and one small win closer to the desired results allow us to persevere through the most difficult of circumstances to build our endurance and finish the race well.

The words of the apostle Paul resonate in my bones “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize”. How will you finish the great race? With endurance? I believe so.”

I love what Jon says when he talks about small steps. Even this week something I have put in place to think about when talking about Endurance is the art of the ‘Small win’. How many of us had a New Years resolution but over baked it in the over and now don’t even try to meet that goal? Or how many started reaching that goal and backed away from it or so many things in life starting happening like it always does and you lose focus and tractions on your goals? I think some of the reasons why these happen is ‘small wins’ are missing from the equation.

Remember the old, completely accurate statement that used often? “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” When using the ‘art of the small win’ you actually stop doing the same thing and start making moves forward. Give it a try. You will not be disappointed.

I want to thank Jon again and if you want to touch base with him you can reach him at https://www.9round.com/fitness/raleigh-north-carolina

Peace on your journey this week.