Category: Gifts of Character

All of us would agree that to achieve a high level of success in any worthwhile goal requires that we stick with it and persevere.  Perseverance can be difficult as we have discussed before, many obstacles can get in our way.  However the Perseverance Circle shows the importance both of support from others and our own actions.

Lets say we have decided to take up a new activity, or we have found a cause that we feel strongly about.  We get started learning a new skill, or we want to find a way to cure a disease.  At first we are excited and put a lot of energy into the activity.  We may make some progress, when support comes and encourages us to continue.

As we continue we gain more knowledge and take more action by practicing our new skill.  The more action we take the better our skills become.  The better our skills become the more passionate we are and the more we want to learn and to do better.

The more we learn the more we take action and practice.  The more practice, our skills and passion grow from these new found skills.  The circle is in motion, and with the support of friends and family every step of the way (knowledge, action, skills, passion) our perseverance pays off in success.  Your personal success may be found in your home and family relationships, in your job or education, in a hobby that we have or in a service to your community.  No matter where it is, it is likely that you had great support along the way and you stuck with it long enough to be good or even great at your new found skill.

One final note on skills and passion for young adults (or even older folks).   We hear people talk about what they will do for a career when they grow up and some will tell them to follow their passion.  Then of course we might say I am not passionate about anything.  If you have ever felt that way, start something that you can develop skills in and the better you get at the activity – your passion will grow and you may have just found a skill that may lead you to a career.  But only if you have perseverance.

All of us want to be successful.  Success means different things to different people.  Therefore goals are different for every individual.  Thinking of our goal and then working on it so that we can achieve it almost always requires that we find and use perseverance.

Have you ever thought about success outside of “What do you want to be when you grow up?”.  Helping our children see that they can control their destiny and empower them with the hope of being successful – in their own eyes will also help them to be happy.

Beyond what they want to be when they grow up, they may also consider what success would look like in their future home and family.  Do they want to live by the ocean or in a city?  Do they want to have a family with children?  They will need perseverance to meet those goals.

How will success look in giving back to the community?  Do they want to run for public office or be president one day?  Would they like to work with animals or the environment?  What would success look like in their impact on the community.  They will need perseverance to meet those goals.

How will success look in their hobbies and recreation?  Do they want to learn to ride horses or fly fish?  Would they like to be a pilot or design clothes?  Whatever they choose to do for fun will help them feel successful.   They will need perseverance to meet those goals.  

Showing our children how to stick with a goal will help them for the rest of their life.

Each month we will discuss a life skill with all of our students. This month the word is Perseverance.  This word will be defined in the following ways for our students.

Young students: Perseverance means: When the work gets tough, I don’t give up!

Older students: Perseverance means:  Steady, goal-oriented persistence, despite challenges or obstacles.

Each age group has a worksheet that parents can use to continue the discussion at home with their children, and one for adults to allow them to think more deeply about the skill and how it applies to them. Would you like to receive the worksheet? Stop by our studio at 133 Gibralter Avenue in Annapolis, MD and tell us the age of your child. We will give you a worksheet and invite you to watch Mr. Joe discuss the word with the students in class.  You can also follow our discussions here on this website.

If you would like to become a member of Balanced Life Skills, come TRY CLASSES FOR FREE.   We are not your typical after school activity, in fact we are an education center, working with our students on physical skills along with empowering families with compassion, awareness and respect – creating a culture of peace – through the martial arts.  We believe in every child and will build their confidence.  Balanced Life Skills serves the community and encourages each student to do the same.