Week 3 – Word of the Week: Persistence

The Phantom Limb

In his book, Psycho-Cybernetics, Author Dr. Maxwell Maltz writes that after performing an operation on his patients like a nose job, it would take his patients about 21 days to get used to seeing their new face.  In addition, when someone had an arm or leg amputated, Dr. Maltz observed that the patient would sense a phantom limb for about 21 days before adjusting to the fact that their limb was really gone.  Using this information, Dr. Maltz recalled his own experiences and noticed that it also took him about 21 days to form a new habit.  He writes, “These, and many other commonly observed phenomena tend to show that it requires a minimum of about 21 days for an old mental image to dissolve and a new one to jell.”

Psycho-Cybernetics went on to sell over 30 million copies and cemented the theory that creating a habit takes 21 days.  With that in mind, I’m going to hit my 21 day mark at the end of this week.  Ideally, the transformation of becoming the new me eating less and moving more will then be a habit – a part of me – as I had always intended.  The truth?  It may take longer.

You can get the book here (note: this is an affiliate link and I’ll get a little something-something if you purchase anything through this link):

The Truth

According to U.S. News & World Report, 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February.  That means that 80% of people don’t even last a full 30 days.

If they make it past 21 days, it should be habit shouldn’t it?

In a study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, 96 people were studied over a 12-week period as they each chose one new habit and reported on it daily.  While it’s not a huge testing group, the results were interesting.  The study showed that it took more than 2 months before  a new behavior becomes automatic – 66 days according to the study.  Of course, the truth is that how long a new habit takes depends upon the person themselves and their circumstances.  In the study, it found that the new habit could take anywhere between 18 to 254 days in order to take root.

I personally believe that change – and therefore habits – can happen in an instant IF the motivation and inspiration is strong enough.  That’s why you’ll hear about people instantly quitting smoking or drinking when their life depends upon it – even though there’s a real physical addiction to nicotine or alcohol.  That’s why you’ll see people instantly do things differently when they are faced with disease, cancer, or someone leaving them.  When the WHY is strong enough, the how will appear and the change CAN be instantaneous.

Persistence

That all said, the word of this week is persistence.

Persistence is critical in all aspects of life and in business.

Persistence is a KEY factor in success.

A river cuts through rock not because of its power, but because of its persistence.

Babe Ruth once said, “You just can’t beat the person who never gives up.”

Napoleon Hill said, “Persistence is to the character of man as carbon is to steel.”

Orrin Woodard says, “It is not about what you’re capable of, it’s about what you are willing to endure.”

And for almost 3 weeks as of this writing, I’ve been willing to endure the pain of change.  I’ve been willing to persist through the pain and adjust my behavior to accommodate my new life.  And in order to achieve continued success, I must persist in my endeavor.

Whether it takes 21 days or 21 weeks, it matters not.  Persistence is key.  Persistence to the behavioral changes that I’ve set into place in order to achieve the life that I want.

Lessons From History

History is filled with those individuals who have persistent and succeeded.

Thomas Edison is famous for persisting in his pursuit to create the light bulb.  It took him 10,000 tries to find the right combination of elements to get it working.  Colonel Sanders Secret recipe for fried chicken was rejected 1,009 times until it wasn’t.  He said, “I made a resolve then that I was going to amount to something if I could.  And no hours, nor amount of labor, nor amount of money would deter me from giving the best that there was in me.”  He was 62 years old before he sold his first Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise.  It took him many more years of persistence before KFC was set on the path of the hit is today.

Through persistence, I will attain my goal of a happier, healthier life – embracing the pain of change, growth, and development.  It’s only through fear, self-doubt, and laziness that I will fail.  With persistence, anything is possible.

Think of a time that you persevered through something.

How long did it take you?  Did if feel like forever?  Did it hurt?

Why did you persevere?  Why did you fight, push, pull, drag yourself through the muck?

What drove you forward?

Was it worth it?

How did you feel when you got through it?

What were the results?

Where you happy, satisfied, energized, ready for more?

What Would You Give Your Life For

It reminds me of a story about Johann Sebastian Bach – the famous composer and pianist.  Bach was known for playing for Royalty and the well to do.  After a particularly well received concert, a lady walks up to him and says something to the matter of, “Oh my gosh you are so good.  I love your music.  I would give my life to play like you do.”  Without hesitation, Bach simply replied, “Ma’am, I have.”

You see, Bach, while definitely talented, had given his life to playing.  He devoted his time, energy, and focus to becoming the best that he could through his art.  From the time he was a young boy to the time he passed away at the age of 85, music was his life.  He persisted through the thick and thin to become the great artist he is forever remember to be.

Like many people, the lady who approached him wished to achieve greatness without the willingness to put in the effort.  While not everyone can achieve the level of greatness that Bach did, I believe anyone of physical capability can learn how to play an instrument, sing, dance, perform, and more… as long as they are willing to put in the effort and most importantly persevere.

The GOAT?

Michael Jordan, often considered to be the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) in basketball didn’t make the cut for his high school varsity basketball team initially.  Someone by the name of Leroy Smith got his spot instead.  This only made Jordan work hard and persevere more.

Follow his career and you’ll learn that it didn’t stop there.  Even when he was on the NBA Championship Bulls he’s known for being the first one on court and the last one off court.  Now why would one of the top players of all time show up before everyone and leave after everyone?

What do you think got him to the top?

In his book, Think and Grow Rich, author Napoleon Hill says:

“Without PERSISTENCE, you will be defeated, even before you start. With PERSISTENCE you will win…

Be PERSISTENT no matter how slowly you may, at first, have to move. WITH PERSISTENCE WILL COME SUCCESS…

THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR PERSISTENCE! It cannot be supplanted by any other quality! Remember this, and it will hearten you, in the beginning, when the going may seem difficult and slow…

Those who have cultivated the HABIT of persistence seem to enjoy insurance against failure. No matter how many times they are defeated, they finally arrive up toward the top of the ladder.”

Wow!  That’s powerful!!!

Why am I harping so much on this word this week?

Well because I still hurt and it’s going on 3 weeks!!  D’oh!

So I must persevere.  I must remain vigilante and persist in my trials until I get over the hill.  And then I must continue to persist after that even.  In fact, I must continue to persist until it is no longer persisting because it just is.

Here’s the link to the book (note: once again, this is an affiliate link and I will get something if you purchase through this link):

Habit

Creating Habits

Once something becomes a part of you – a habit – a thing you do on autopilot, then you no longer need to persist.  You no longer need to think about it.  You just do it.

Take for example breathing.  You don’t think about it, you just do it.  O.k. If you don’t do it, you die, so maybe that’s an extreme.  How about brushing your teeth.  If you don’t do it, you lose your teeth.  Or showing.  If you don’t do it, you stink and people won’t want to be around you.

What else do you do that is automatic?  Something that’s just something YOU because it’s ingrained into you?

Something I frequently talk about from the front of the stage are the 7 Habits of Highly Successful People.  A book written by Steven R Covey. Here you go… another affiliate link to the book for your viewing pleasure:

After thousands of interviews of some of the most successful people in the world, Steven determined that these 7 habits are a core part of every single successful person.

Do you know what these 7 habits are?  If you don’t, then how can you implement them in your daily life?  How can you make them a part of you if you don’t know them, feel them, see them, understand them, and live them?   Almost every successful person does.  If not you, why not?

Moving more, eating less – it’s not a work out plan.  It’s not the next exercise fad.  It’s not some fancy thing that one does whenever one feels like it.  What it is, is a way of life.

When you can make that a part of you, a part of your life, then not only will you achieve success, you will achieve a potentially longer and healthier life.

So go for it.  Whatever it is that you’re going for.  And be persistent in it.  Whether in business or in life.  Persist and succeed.

I’m persisting down my path.

The Results?

This week I’m down another 4 pounds.  That’s a total of 8 pounds in two weeks.  That’s about 4 pounds more than I expected by this time.  While I’m not really focused too much on how many pounds per week I’m losing, it is something that is measurable until I can “feel” it myself.  Right now, what I mostly feel is pain.

Yeah, the knees still hurt and pop when I go from a sitting position to a standing position.  My back and shoulder muscles are tight as are the legs.  Seeing as I’m almost to the end of week three though, I do notice a “slight”, ever so slight, easing of the pain – although that changes from day to day.  Of course that could be because of my adjustments of moving less due to moving too much before or it could be because I’m getting “used” to the pain.  Or it could be a bit of both.

Too early to tell.  Losing weight is something that I can tell though – even though I personally cannot tell that I’ve lost 8 pounds the scale can.  So for now, that’s ONE of my measurements of progress.

My wife says that I shouldn’t measure by pounds and instead I should measure by how my clothes fit.  Well, as I always wear clothes that are big and baggy for comfort reasons, it’s kinda hard to use that as a measuring stick.

I’ll continue to report to you that measurement of progress in case you are reading this.

And if you are, comment below.

Share with me what you̵

7;re persisting through right now.

Tell me what successes you’ve had in the past and what you want to achieve going forward.

Maybe I can address it in future posts and together we can achieve success!

Until then, here’s to your success!

Celebrate Life!
Chaffee-Thanh Nguyen

P.S.  If you can’t tell by now, these posts are about a week behind my actual results.  The reason is that first, I want to make sure I’m reporting actual data and secondly, well, it takes time to write these things.   My purpose is to share with you my results along my journey and share some insights, thoughts, and lessons which can help you in your business and in life.  While I can just share with you, “I hurt and here’s how much I lost or didn’t lose”, I’m taking the time and effort to share stories and research which will hopefully entertain and enlighten you.  I’ve got some ideas for next week’s post already and it’s going to be a doosey!  So stay tuned and read on Wayne, read on Garth!