Perseverance and Persistence the Key to Success - Personal Statement Example

A Reflective Essay on the Topic of PERSEVERANCE It takes lesser hard work and more of perseverance to reach the assigned targets and desired goals in life. However strange this notion may seem, it is true and proven to the extent that I attribute my successes in life more to my determination and patience, as compared to the limitless hard work I put in. One has to be determined and firm in order to meet the challenges that accompany every walk of life. Being the eldest son and brother of four siblings, I have always had more responsibilities and errands than an ordinary man my age has. I was nineteen and a student in third year of Science degree program when my father retired. I had to start looking for full day (and sometimes night) employment in order to support my family. I engaged with all the responsibilities and duties of making a living as well as supporting and helping my siblings with their studies, the chances of attaining my degree and thus developing a fine career shrunk for me. My decision of a dual tracked routine of serving employment as well as pursuing education received discouraging remarks from my friends and family, making the scenario even worst. The problems and tribulations were quite sufficient to get me off track and lead to self-centered conduct, which would not have been looked at with praise or pride. But I made sure that whatever happens, I will not terminate my studies and will not let anything tarnish my intellect. Things were not as easy going as they were before, and the thought of saying farewell to my studies was just so repellent. It was rather an extremely laborious and demanding path. But since leaving unfinished business is something I never approve of, I resumed my studies as soon as I could by exploiting the opportunity of completing my degree course through a part time evening program. Although it took me an extra time period of two years to attain this degree, but it landed me as a junior pharmacist in Ranbaxy, which would not have been a possibility otherwise. It was not easy without a doubt, but taking up challenging tasks and then living up to the accomplishment for the desired outcome is part of my personality. And this is what is perseverance, the continued pursuit or prosecution of any business begun. I can recall my early childhood days when my father would get irritated by my habit of insist and nearly adamant nature. I would cling to a particular conception and would demand explanations and clarifications until a satisfactory response was given. And as I grew, this habit continued so as to become a part of my nature. Persistence and perseverance became personality traits and contributed to the strength of my will power. It is this strength of mind to do things in their right time and ways that has always assisted me accomplish all that I have intended to. Most of the times, things in life seem to be impossible to do and aims unrealistic to achieve, but if I make up my mind of doing something, I always live up to my commitments. The perseverance and persistence in one’s nature mechanically leads to good time management and systematized efforts. This particular personality trait does not only come to help in such businesses or projects of life. This actually leads the life in the way one wants to lead it. The will to live itself generates such power and energy in oneself that nothing remains to be an obstacle. Perseverance is basically more than just a quality or trait; it is rather a temperament. I have experienced that as long as I keep faith in myself and stay determined, my efforts instinctively get directed in the right course. It is not a hidden fact that in India and other countries with similar culture, the head of families, an eldest brother in my case, are expected to support all the other family members and do anything and everything that falls under their responsibilities or even beyond. And the list of such responsibilities is endless. For instance, I am supposed to feed and drape them, meet the expense of my siblings’ education, accumulate enough funds for my sisters’ dowry and wedding expenditures and also to set aside finances for the recommencement of my own professional education. Besides these and other duties, if I want to study, develop a better career for myself or do anything else for my self-actualization, then that all has to be secondary when it comes to prioritizing my tasks. Mostly men belonging to this region of the world, in such scenarios give up their own individuality and compromise on their self-esteem. The culture calls for too much devotion and self-less commitments. I certainly praise the inhabitants of this region for their fidelity and conformity to any circumstances they are made to live in. The immense disappointment is when a man loses his own distinctiveness. I think people should stay persistent in what they want to do and how they want to do it. This does not suggest a rebellious attitude at all. I can easily say that I m a good son and a brother, at the same time I excel in all other professional matters too. If one has the mindset to take up challenges and prove oneself, then nothing remains unattainable. It takes extraordinary amount of discipline though. I have always managed my time so as to accommodate all my tasks. Assigning priorities makes life easier. But it should be better done than said. I remember that I had to postpone an important assignment at work in order to make the elaborate arrangements for my sister’s upcoming wedding. The preparations and chores seemed endless and my shoulders carried the burden alone. It was rather hilarious and apparently unattainable when I started working on that assignment at work just two days before the due date. I could have requested for an extension in the deadline by the employer, and I had a valid excuse too, but I stayed determined and worked day and night untiringly. Subsequently the job was completed in time, and not only that, it impressed my employer so much that I got a promotion in result. As I mentioned in the beginning, to me determination has always come first, guiding way for the hard work that I then put in to achieve the aims. To a certain degree, perseverance and persistence remain to be the key to success and accomplishment. But there should always be room for flexibility. Juggling too many tasks simultaneously certainly becomes very tiring and giving up always seems very tempting. But I always tend to focus on the results and the outcome of my efforts, hard work and patience. And focusing on the good results always keep me on track and persistent. Had I not attempted to complete my degree course given the rough obstacles and impediments, I would have ended up as one amongst India’s millions of unskilled labor force, earning no more than a dollar per day. Regrets are the life’s worst experiences and the gravest burden to carry. Leaving any business unfinished just for the lack of determination may lead to life long regrets when nothing can be done about it. I take inspiration from Christopher Reeve’s quotation which goes: “I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” This implies and concludes my essay in that all it takes is determination and endurance to achieve what one aims for, no impediment is great enough and no difficulty is inescapable. Read More