Tenacity
Defeat is not an Option
Introduction
I love the word Tenacity. Defined as a “firm grip on something,” tenacity can be seen in nature. Clinging to the side of a rocky cliff, tenacious trees or flowers have anchored by their roots in the tiniest of cracks. This issue of Adventure in Reflection is my contemplation on healthy stubbornness.
A Minute of Motivation
Happy Persistence
Happy persistence – That’s my wish for you today: to keep on keepin’ on with a cheerful attitude. I wish you happy persistence rather than good luck because luck, if it exists, is more a product of effort and attitude than of chance or “fate.”
A cheerful outlook helps produce better results, because it allows you to see opportunity in every situation. Persistence helps produce more success because, in most things, the only failure is in quitting. If you “fail” a class, for example, keep on taking it until you pass. You will only fail if you fail to keep trying.
Put a smile on your face, and a smile in your heart, and keep getting up no matter how many times you get knocked down. Brush yourself off, learn from your struggles, and try again. Create your own good luck – practice “Happy Persistence!”
Note. Originally published in 1992 after being shared with hundreds of first year college students in introductory psychology classes.
Enjoy Life More
Don’t Quit Important Things
Previously I wrote about personal editing, knowing when to cut things out of your life. Today I encourage you to focus on those important, but difficult, parts of your life, where quitting is not a good choice. To quit on something deeply important creates an intense wound, a wound that will undermine personal joy for a very long time.
In my work with doctoral students I tell them there is only one thing I cannot fix – quitting. Earning a doctorate is hard, tiring, and frustrating. I tell them “every dissertation has a certain amount of hell to pay. I don’t know what yours will be, but you will find it.” It is a rare student who skips joyfully all the way to the finish line.
The same can be true of many of the most important parts of life. Staying married to the same person throughout the hills and valleys of a lifetime can be sometimes brutal. Raising children from brats to well-adjusted adults has many trying seasons. In the professional world there are times of sacrifice while earning new credentials or career advancements, or adjusting to a new role.
Is there a time to quit? Well, sometimes. However, for those parts of life that deeply matter, the better choice is usually to be tenacious. Hold on firmly to what really matters. Dig in. Take a break if you need rest. But don’t quit.
Faith Corner
“Hold tight to your convictions, give it all you’ve got, be resolute, and love without stopping.” (1 Corinthians 16: 13-14 MSG translation)
There are many places in the Bible where the phrase “stand firm” is used. One of those can be found in Paul’s letter to the people of Corinth who were facing intense opposition regarding their faith. A more contemporary translation of the “stand firm” advice, from The Message, is stated as “hold tight to your convictions.”
Hold tight. Sounds like tenacity to me. The image of a dog with a bone comes to mind. Does it matter to you? Hold tightly to it.
The rest of Paul’s advice goes beyond the image of a dog with a bone. Standing firm is paired with the advice to be strong and “give it all you’ve got.” Being tenacious includes courage and strength, being resolute. And, the foundation of the recommended tenacity is love.
Grip firmly to what matters most. Anchor your tenacity in love. Be brave and strong. Stand firm. Don’t let anything move you away from what really matters.
Lord, in the center of my world are my beliefs and my most important relationships. At times that core is threatened. Strengthen me to be tenacious, to grip tightly to what really matters, and to dig down into the source of love, which is You. Thank you for giving me strength, courage, and conviction for facing my battles. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Poetry Pause
Discouragement
Like a puncture to my
Reservoir of Joy –
Sadness sweeps in
To fill the void.
Discouragement -
The enemy of my joy!
“JESUS saves me now”
The leak slows.
“Jesus SAVES me now”
I breathe in some peace.
“Jesus saves ME now”
Strength begins to flicker.
“Jesus saves me NOW”
Victory appears on the horizon.
“Jesus.”
The enemy retreats.
“Jesus!”
“Saves!”
“Me!”
“Now!”
Yes, Joy is mine.
Peace is mine.
Strength is mine.
Courage is mine.
Discouragement is defeated.
By Cindy MacGregor, May 16, 2022
Note. This poem was inspired by an excerpt from one of my favorite antique books, written over a hundred years ago, by Hannah Whitall Smith. In her book, A Christian’s Secret to a Happy Life, Hannah described the hazards of discouragement and suggested the phrase “Jesus saves me now” with a four-fold emphasis on each word.
Old Mom to Young Mom
Reward Polite Persistence (aka, don’t let savages get their way)
My adult children are impressively tenacious. When something matters, they don’t quit. The same could be said of some adults I know, whose behavior is annoying or divisive. The difference is the politeness of my children’s tenacity. Some adults just bully their way to what they want. That behavior probably worked when they were children, therefore they still use it.
I taught my kids to be persistent, but to be polite about it. When they wanted something they could ask repeatedly for it. Sometimes I would concede. But I refused to give them what they wanted if they were whiny or rude at any point when asking. Nope. Automatic no.
The same was true for manipulative behavior in pursuit of a desired outcome. For example, if my husband had already said no to their request and then they came asking me. Automatic no. No. No. Not gonna work.
Brat or bully behavior should never be rewarded. Never. No matter how tired you are. Stand your ground. Be a broken record stuck on the word “NO.” You don’t have to get loud or mean. Just say “no” one more time than they ask.
But a child asking nicely, repeatedly, and sometimes getting what they want, develops resilient adults. This polite persistence when dealing with other people is personally powerful. Reward polite persistent but never let savages get their way.
Dear Dr. Mac
I hope you enjoyed this issue of my newsletter. If you would like to write to me, please send an email to: drcjmacgregor@outlook.com; I will respond via email or in this section of a future newsletter, or both. If I publish anything from a reader, I will not share personal information or names. I’d love to hear from you! You can also leave a comment by clicking this button: