Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the greatest military strategists in history. His motto in each battle was always the same: "success is not always overcome, but never discouraged." It seems that not getting discouraged in the face of adversity is key to keep fighting, even though sometimes we can think that everything is lost.
Success, at any level, requires the ability to move forward. It needs that we execute a plan, that we persevere and in sum, that we continue in the process in which we find ourselves. Let's say that staying in line with what was planned, covering the stages, planning and replanning our objectives are the steps to not get out of the chosen path. Although, sometimes, that road we only see it uphill.
Perhaps the secret to winning is that we have to fight a battle more than once to win it. In this way, we must use the pain of failure as gasoline to embark on the journey to success.
The secret to never get discouraged
The willpower to perform a task is fundamental. However, perhaps it is more the capacity of not discouraging or recovering after it. The personal choice not to decay or get up after the fall will end up becoming a great quality. With the passage of time, this will make our actions part of a succession of daily tasks, with perseverance being the basis of all of them.
In this way, perseverance seems to have a magical effect. With it, the difficulties are less heavy and the obstacles more affordable. In fact, until we understand that our reward lies in the effort and not in the result, we will not truly enjoy the path or the achievement.
"The safest way to hit once on the nail is to have given a hundred times before in the horseshoe."
-Miguel de Unamuno-
In the scientific field, Martin Seligman, American psychologist and writer, conducted a series of studies at the University of Pennsylvania on perseverance. In them he showed that those people who persevere are more likely to achieve success. Seligman said that "unless you are a genius, you can never achieve success beyond your competitors without an attribute such as perseverance." Data to take into account therefore.
"Perseverance is the hard work you do after getting tired of the hard work you've already done."
-Newt Gingrich-
Not being discouraged can be more fruitful than success
The triumph of most professionals in different fields is the result of their mistakes and failures. The obstacles and inconveniences are what really test our desire to achieve a goal.
Thus, only those who remain firm, are encouraged to overcome the difficulties and get up as many times as necessary to achieve what they propose. The real secret to achieve personal achievements is to never give up and of course to seek options, alternatives and cultivate from the effort.
Not to be discouraged is the example of the constant struggle of those who bet on themselves and their dreams.
Historical characters who were not discouraged
History is full of people who had to take great failures and recover from them to achieve success. A first example of this is Charles Chaplin. Before becoming a star of American cinema, was rejected several times by different producers who considered their way of acting uninteresting to the audience.
Also The Beatles had a hard time, playing in slums for 7 or 8 hours a day. In the end, what is remembered of them is the success they achieved. Nobody sees beyond the big concerts in crowded stages. Few appreciate the effort and their ability to face obstacles.
Another example of a historical character who had to overcome many difficulties was Walt Disney. He was fired by the newspaper editor where he worked for lack of imagination and good ideas. Later, he had several projects that failed before the premiere of his first hit: Blancanieves.
And finally, how not to talk about a living basketball legend, Michael Jordan. He was eliminated from the college basketball team in his second year for not having enough height, but never gave up his dream. He acknowledged having missed more than 9,000 shots in his career, lost almost 300 games and failed on 26 occasions when he was entrusted with the last shot of a game.
One of his best known phrases is the following: "I have failed again and again in my life. And for that, I'm successful. " In it, it teaches us that not getting discouraged is never the key to most achievements.
These examples and many more make up long lists of those who were rejected on numerous occasions and who, however, never gave up. Largely because of that, they managed to reach their goals and even go beyond them. And you, are you going to keep trying?
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