When you are in the darkest of tunnels without the faintest suggestion of light, it is persistence that pushes and drags you onward because deep within, you know you will see light sooner or later. Persistence means no matter the challenge presented, you will keep moving toward a goal you know is attainable, given enough time and effort.
Personally, without my own drive and level of persistence, I wouldn’t have written this article, let alone the dozen+ I have written before. What pushes me forward is a wall of knowledge telling me that I can be a better person if I keep learning, and that I can help others in some way if I keep writing.
To have persistence to persevere means you have something that is meaningful propel you forward, even in the most challenging of times. What is meaningful to you, what is your “why” that pushes you to accomplish what you do? If you don’t know, sit down and think about it, and if you want to start something, like a new habit, develop a set of valid reasons that are personal to you. If you have a “why,” then you will have the strength to persevere when it gets tough. And your “why” isn’t going to be just one thing, but made up of many things specifically important to you.
For many students at West Chester University, midterms are all but done, and the end of this rollercoaster of a semester is in sight. With news of the spring semester being online, I understand that many of us may be filled with desperation pointed towards our college career.
For seniors, you will be spending your last academic year online and will be entering an unfavorable job market. For freshmen, you will not know the true college experience. To both groups and everyone in between, persevere.
You have all made it this far, you have all endured immense challenges, and above all, you have all shown how a college community can come together. Do not fear a challenge, as great things and qualities come from those things that we deem hard.
In an University of Pennsylvania article published by Dr. Ben Dean, it is stated that “just as fear is a prerequisite for courage, challenge is a prerequisite for perseverance.”
https://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/newsletters/authentichappinesscoaching/persistence
To gain a certain quality or to earn something worthwhile, we must often suffer for it. If everything came easy to us, nothing would be rewarding to do, and there would be no real work in working to attain something.
Yes, this semester has been tough, and the spring will hold challenges, as well. But through understanding the reasons behind why we do what we do — in this case, why we are continuing college during these circumstances — we can enter the challenge knowing we have the ability to persist. If you are afraid to do something because you believe you won’t have the motivation to get through it, know that motivation isn’t everything. Inspiration and motivation will fade rather quickly, but reasons and the “why” behind starting will remain with you forever.
So, find and know your “why” so you can persist in whatever you decide to take on and know that challenges help put things in perspective, providing a feeling of reward when you succeed.
Evan Brooks is a third-year Business Management major with minors in Economics and Civil and Professional Leadership. EB916132@wcupa.edu