Perseverance.

If there were any advice that I could give to my younger self, it would be a reminder of the power of perseverance.

Never give up. It is a phrase we heard a lot growing up, or at least, I heard it a lot. "Never give up", they would tell me over and over again, and over and over again, I was told no.

See, what they don't tell you is how to persevere, how to never give up. It's as if it is assumed you are born with this power, and already know how to use it. I think we are born with the power. But most don't know how to use it.

Being perseverant isn't about asking the same question over and over again, hoping for a changed mind, because, the thing is, people don't change their minds on their own. Just because you push and push, doesn't mean you'll get a change. People's minds have to be changed with the force of a wrecking-ball.

From a young age, whenever I wanted something, my parents would make me write a persuasive essay on why I should have or be able to do something. Anything from going out with my friends to getting a new phone.

Though, at the time it seemed pointless and annoying, I realize now, it taught me the most valuable life lesson there is to learn.

Perseverance.

When I was in my freshman year of high school, I quickly learned that life in high school revolved around technology, and that every other second a teacher was telling us to pull out our phones to google this, google that, or download this, download that.

I, working from a small LG Slide Phone was feeling left behind, looking over the shoulders of other kids, getting less opportunities to participate. Urging my parents to let my upgrade was a chore, but, I did it. They made me write an essay, per the usual. I needed to be able to voice my concerns, and back them up with multiple points of evidence on why it was so important. Why was the cost worth the outcome? Why was what I had not enough? What benefit could I and they gain?

The answers were simple, but not common knowledge, I just needed to be able to voice them.

Thats like any persuasion in life; it is simply convincing them that the positive outcomes outweigh the potential negative consequences. Making them see what you can see already.

Sometimes persuasion takes on a different persona. Sometimes it is about making people open up and explain the reason for a no, so you can explain a reason for a yes, or make changes to make a yes possible.

This can be for anything: a job, a pitch, a sale etc.

Often times those telling us "no" don't have a need enough to explain to us why, unless we ask. This is where the perseverance comes in; making them care and share.

About a year ago, I was looking for a job. I'd found the perfect place, I went in for an interview, and they loved me (or at least I was told), but they said my availability wasn't what they needed, and so I was being denied. I refused to take no for an answer, because the thing was, I really wanted to work there. I knew in my heart that I would be a great asset to the team, and it would offer me great learning experiences.

An hour after receiving the rejection, I called them back, and asked what about my availability didn't work, and how I could change my availability to better suit their needs. Turned out, it was off by "a quarter of an inch" for lack of a better term. One small change, and I was in. I would have never known that had I not called back.

Maybe you read this all the way through, or maybe you pretended to read so you could look busy. Either way, if you take anything away from what I am telling you today is don't give up, don't take no for an answer, work for your dreams and goals, and persevere.

Perseverance will get you a lot farther than you think.

per·se·vere

/ˌpərsəˈvir/

verb

continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success.

"his family persevered with his treatment"