Every time

Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.

–Confucius

Some people are just looking for an excuse to give up, and do so after the first setback. Others have some degree of desire to achieve, but lack sufficient commitment, and turn back after experiencing several disappointments. Then there are those who get back up every time. They are the ones who are able to achieve whatever they decide to achieve.

Picking yourself back up and making another effort is not necessarily easy, and yet it is always doable. Think of it this way: you were able to make the first attempt, so you’re also able to make the second, third, and fourth attempts, and so on, until the goal is reached. Persistence is nothing more than continuing to do what you’ve already done before, perhaps with a few adjustments along the way to incorporate what you’re continuing to learn from the experience.

Just about any healthy adult can bench press a weight of 50 pounds. Yet very few can lift more than 300 pounds. The difference is not the result of some secret technique or unique physiology. The difference is due to persistence. Every time the 50-pound weight is lifted, the muscles become stronger. Before long, those muscles can lift 100 pounds, and then 150 pounds, and then 200 or more. Keep lifting the weights, and you’ll continue to grow stronger.

In the same way, when you continue to get back up after every little setback, you strengthen your capacity for achievement. Recover quickly from the small problems, and you’ll soon be able to deal successfully with bigger problems. With those bigger problems, come the bigger opportunities to create value.

Get in the habit of getting back up, quickly and with more determination than ever before, not just some of the time but every time. That is the habit of achievement.