EDITORIAL – One of the best examples of perseverance that I have ever seen has been exhibited by young children. Nobody can ask the same question as tirelessly and steadfastly as a tenacious child with his heart set on a goal. Have you ever noticed that?

Children never seem to get tired. A six-year-old can ask his parent for a puppy countless times in the day without losing hope, energy, or interest. And when he wakes up in the morning, he’s going to pick up right where he left off: inquiring about that puppy. He will endure all the “not right nows,” the “maybe when you’re olders,” and the “we’ll sees” until one day, a puppy shows up in his life. That, my friend, is perseverance.

To the adult enduring the relentless questioning, it can be an exhausting experience. But not for that child. His heart is set on his goal, and he will consistently seek to gain what he wants. Perseverance requires pursuit, passion, and patience. Passion is the fuel to the pursuit, and patience gives you the stamina to pursue as long as it takes.

When was the last time you stuck to a desire, a task, or a goal like a child? Without losing hope, or energy, or interest? I know duties and challenges can draw our attention away from our goal and can sap our strength to press forward. But we must increase our perseverance if we want to achieve the prize. We cannot stop. Don’t let a six-year-old out-persevere you!

Here are five tips that you can use to improve your perseverance:

1. Know why you want what you want. If your why is strong enough, you’ll be much more likely to endure whatever you must to get it.

2. Have an “end-point” in mind. It’s hard to win if you don’t know what it takes to do so. Whether it’s to lose 20 pounds, get the promotion at work, or to take a vacation in Hawaii, it’s vital to know when it’s been achieved.

3. Don’t give up. Sounds like simple advice, I know. And it is, but it’s not necessarily easy. There is really no telling what might be accomplished if you determine to not quit though. If it’s something you truly want, don’t quit until you get it.

4. Come at the issue from a different direction. Sometimes approaching an issue from a new way is all that is required to achieve what we want. Be sure of what you want, but flexible in how you get it.

5. Raise your expectations. It’s hard to persevere and ultimately succeed if you don’t believe you can. You tend to get from life not so much what you want, but what you expect. You won’t get much if you don’t expect to, so raise them today.

So, there you have it. Five tips for improving your perseverance. Now, I’d love to hear from you.  What’s your best tip for persevering? Please share it with me in the comments section below. Thanks!