Lesson 2: Perseverance

Never give up. Never never never give up.

Kris_man's always been a bit bemused by this saying, "don't give up". Surely there are times when it's just common sense to throw in the towel? Taking this example literally, imagine a boxer who told his trainer never ever to throw the towel into the ring and stop the fight. This guy could either be perceived as a hard-as-nails tough man, an inspiration, or a complete fool who's not playing the percentages. I'd go the latter, no doubt. If boxers never gave up when they were getting severely beaten (or the refs never gave up for them), and the opponent was willing, there would often be times where they would die in the ring. Here is one example at least where giving up is by far the better option than staying put.

Today, though, Kris_man finally finished his painstaking essay of 2000 words regarding John Dewey and "thinking for yourself". Kris_man could quite easily have thrown in the towel a number of days ago, thinking it was too late, the essay would never be completed, he hadn't even started and it was due a number of days ago. Still, for some reason he kept at it, and finally the essay was completed this morning. Sure, this may not sound like much, it's just an essay after all, and uni students are finishing essays all the time with and without fuss. Sometimes, though, it's these little "private victories", these accomplishments which mean very little to the external world but a whole heap to one individual, that can mean all the difference between succeeding and failing. It is these victories upon which confidence can be built - without them there is no confidence, no self-belief, and therefore no perseverance, therefore no enthusiasm, and ultimately, no success.

So where does persistence fit into all this? Well, I think we've all had times where we think "Damn I'm glad I didn't give up when things were down, I wouldn't be where I am now". That's how Kris_man feels now. Ultimately, though, there are times when it is best to give up, and there are times when it is best to hang in there and keep at it. A wise person knows the right option to take (ie, to give up or not to give up), like a halfback who knows whether to pass the ball, run it, or put a kick in behind the line. Whichever option is taken, though, the important thing is that you put your arse behind whichever decision you make. And maybe that's the most important thing.