the will to persevere

I've become acutely aware of the "will to persevere" - I'm sure that I was already aware of it, but I recently read or heard (don't remember which) the phrase in the context of someones description of overcoming a medical condition (I wish that I could remember the source so that I can give credit where credit is due....), but it struck me so true.

The context of the phrase had to do with someone battling a difficult medical condition - it was painful, debilitating, annoying, and life changing. This patient was determined to find a solution. His doctor stated that "he has the will to persevere" through difficult treatments and that in of itself increased his chances of a positive result.

When we train for distance events we put ourselves through long hours and miles and miles - and it takes a tremendous amount of perseverance to keep doing it, to keep to the training program, to not miss a day (or at least miss as few as possible). Obviously, without doing the time and the miles, the opportunity for success in a long distance running event reduces dramatically. And as difficult as it can be sometimes, when you are chugging through the long runs and you are tired and possibly hurting, you have to have that "will".

It's not "hope" and it's not "wishing". I never hope or wish that I could cross the finish line. For me it is a foregone conclusion: I WILL cross that finish line - what is up for debate is how long it will take me and how I will deal with the difficulties that I am likely to encounter along the way (as in my recent Marine Corp Marathon run). The quote in the caption to the right is from Winston Churchill. So true.

But then I noticed it in other areas, like work related projects or personal events - the task may be arduous and perhaps not mentally demanding or stimulating, yet it is something that has to get done - without the will to continue and persevere it won't get done.

I've found it interesting that when I'm in a situation like that, that I think about running a marathon: my task is to run as efficiently as possible and when I cross that finish line I'll be done; in the meantime I'm going to keep running. I've applied the same logic to a task that I might be involved with: I'll be done when I finish it; in the meantime concentrate on doing it right so that I don't have to do it again or fix it later....

It seems so easy to quit when things get hard - so easy to just say "screw it, I'm tired, no one cares if I run this thing or not...", but yet we don't. We keep running. The caveat of course is that obviously if there is an injury involved, that is a good time to assess possible real damage to your body - I've bailed on a run when something doesn't feel right - all with the view that I want to be able to run tomorrow and the days after that.

To me the will to persevere is the ability and the strength to press on when I'm tired, to blot out any boredom, and keep my eye on my goal. You've got to have and keep that will.