Matt Biondi, Persistence

Persistence

Persistence is critical in both your success in your sport as well as your success in your business and your life.  As an athlete, persistence is what gets you to practice every day, to improve with each practice and to keep going when you get knocked down or knocked out.

In business, persistence is the thing that has you call again, when your first call isn’t returned.  It allows you to get back to work when a lead or opportunity doesn’t break your way.  And it’s what keeps you pushing toward your goal in the face of the obstacles, fears and considerations that are inevitable as you pursue success.
[box type=”shadow”]Persistence – persisting, lasting or enduring tenaciously, especially in spite of opposition, obstacles, discouragement, etc.; persevering[/box]

Very often, your ability to persist in the face of opposition, obstacles or fear, depends on what you say to yourself about those obstacles or fears.  So much depends on your internal dialogue.  If you say, “Here’s an obstacle, that must mean I’m doomed to fail.” then you will find persisting to be exhausting and close to impossible.

However, if, in the face of your fear, you say, “Here’s an obstacle, that must mean I’m on the right track to something huge.” You will find a way around the obstacle.  You will persist until you break through, tirelessly.

So, listen to your internal dialogue.  And find the words that will drive you forward through, around and beyond your fears, your obstacles and your opposition.
[testimonial company=”Eleven-time Olympic medalist, former world record-holder in five events” author=”Matt Biondi” image=”http://dev.entrepreneurshipforathletes.com/wp-content/uploads/Matt_Biondi_Swimmer.jpg”]
Persistence can change failure into extraordinary achievement[/testimonial]