Lots of people have been asking me lately – Why haven’t I been writing. Two reasons, really – One, I’t think of what to write about. Two, I have been stuck at ‘only’ writing about an answer to a question asked to me in a response to one of these articles. I couldn't think of writing beyond that and couldn't think of what to write in response to that. 

Mostly, I think it also became a very convenient excuse. I realized this just now while talking to a colleague and addressing a ‘near’ similar issue. I can’t write about that issue because this mail goes to a lot of other colleagues as well. I’ll disguise it in some other article! Anyways here’s an extract of the question that was preventing my articles. 

Someone said that she loves these articles, but feels as though I’ve been writing lately about very upscale things – examples of lives that have been super successful or achievements that are relevant to a very small segment. The email also stated that these examples are not realistic or germane to her business, or her life. “What have I got to do with how Ratan Tata and Mamata Banerjee handle things? Even if I get the point how can it translate into action? The rich guys have written thousands of books or some have written books and become rich. When has any of these ‘phenomena’ helped a reader become rich or happy or super successful?  I love reading your column but I don’t think these apply to common people like me?” 

If I write the entire question – I might not have space enough to write anything else. I’ll tell you why I got thinking though. On the same day I had another mail. This one on the book called ‘The Secret’. The mail basically stated that this person is completely fascinated by the law of attraction and how he expects his life to change.  

That reality of the previous mail though strikes hard – “I like it. I might even get bowled over by it. Then what?” 

To put two views in perspective and specially going by the lady who provoked these thoughts – it is absolutely safe to say that I am a bit sick of the bogus information that people derive from “the law of attraction.” 

To believe that simply think positive – much like -  “just sit there,” to “meditate and focus on your dreams, and everything will come to you.” If you believe this, I have some property I want you to buy. Well, it’s under water, but if you just picture dry land in your mind, and concentrate really, really hard, you can just lay back, eat a few chocolates, keep dreaming and picturising and all the water will evaporate, and the Garden of Eden will appear. Wow!  
 
That’s not the law of attraction. That’s the law of inaction and that probably is the answer.

You can read and implement. You can read and feel good forwarding mails to a few more eyes. You can read and forget. You can implement for a while and let it go thereafter. You can learn, introspect, discover and change the world. You can also learn, introspect, discover and say its not going to work out. The fact is You can resolve, you can resign. You can attract, you can repel. You can bemoan, you can become. And the best part is, YOU have a choice. 

It’s very sad because the first line of thinking is completely self defeating. It’s an excuse for inaction. It’s an excuse for non discovery. A discovery that if you acted upon might result in failure, might result in shattering a dream – which stays better as a dream. It’s quite possible that one has acted upon learning and discovered failure. Well then… So What? Stop whining, start doing.. something.. something more than you did the last time around. 

I don’t remember which article this was but I remember writing sometime back that no matter how many ‘hows of succeeding’ you learn, you will still have to discover your own unique ‘how’ – And this basically brings us to a question: Why do some people succeed and some don't? 

Is there a secret to success? No.  
Is there a best way to succeed? No.  
Why do people quit too soon? Big question.  
Why do you quit too soon? Bigger question.  
Did you bother reading Think and Grow Rich? A book I posted here a few weeks ago… Biggest question. 

The book has an entire chapter devoted to ‘persistence’ and if after reading it you don’t find an answer to your lack of persistence – then you never will. You may then accept and embrace ‘Law of Inaction’ – which by the way by not reading it you may be enduring anyways. The book provides real insights into the question asked – why some people succeed and some don’t.  Why some keep at it and some stop before tasting victory. And why only some people? 

Rather than even attempting to paraphrase the great Napoleon Hill, I am going to give you the EXACT words (only a slight remark at the end of each point though) of whom, I believe is the only original ‘guru’.  
 
Here are some excerpts (and insights) on persistence quoted exactly as they were written seven decades ago that are still applicable to you today.  
 
Persistence is a state of mind, therefore it can be cultivated. Like all states of mind, persistence is based upon definite causes, among them these:

 
a. Definiteness of purpose. Knowing what one wants is the first and, perhaps, the most important step toward the development of persistence. A strong motive forces one to surmount many difficulties.  

No Purpose – No Persistence. 
 

 
b. Desire. It is comparatively easy to acquire and to maintain persistence in pursuing the object of intense desire.  

Desire – not a ‘moving’ goal.

 
c. Self-reliance. Belief in one's ability to carry out a plan encourages one to follow the plan through with persistence. (Self-reliance can be developed through the principle described in the chapter on autosuggestion).  

Facing defeat believing you are good enough to still discover your ‘how’

 
d. Definiteness of plans. Organized plans, even though they may be weak and entirely impractical, encourage persistence.  

Did you ever make one for the next, say, even three years of your life???

 
e. Accurate knowledge. Knowing that one's plans are sound, based upon experience or observation, encourages persistence; "guessing" instead of "knowing" destroys persistence.  

It takes certain amount of persistence to even get to this stage.

 
f. Cooperation. Sympathy, understanding, and harmonious cooperation with others tend to develop persistence.  

‘There is no GOAL you can achieve all by yourself. None.

 
g. Will-power. The habit of concentrating one's thoughts upon the building of plans for the attainment of a definiteness of purpose leads to persistence.  

Discovering the ‘purpose’ alone can be a long arduous task. Even that needs persistence.

 
h. Habit. Persistence is the direct result of habit. The mind absorbs and becomes a part of the daily experience upon which it feeds. Fear, the worst of all enemies, can be effectively cured by forced repetition of acts of courage. Everyone who has seen active service in war knows this.

 
How to Develop Persistence. 
There are four simple steps which lead to the habit of persistence. They call for no great amount of intelligence, no particular amount of education, and but little time or effort. The necessary steps are:  
1. A definite purpose backed by burning desire for its fulfillment.  
2. A definite plan, expressed in continuous action.  
3. A mind closed tightly against all negative and discouraging influences, including negative suggestions of relatives, friends and acquaintances.  
4. A friendly alliance with one or more persons who will encourage one to follow through with both plan and purpose.

These four steps are essential for success in all walks of life. The entire purpose of the principles of the (Think and Grow Rich) philosophy is to enable one to take these four steps as a matter of habit.  
 
Now I know it’s equally easy to dismiss all this and say “that’s exactly what I meant – its good to read and might even inspire for a while – but ya right – think and become rich?  

Also It's too simple and does not have an immediate "how to" answer attached to it.  
 
The secret of persistence is not an "answer," it's a "realization." And if you read the above and didn't "get it." You will get beaten by someone who did.  
 
The Napoleon Hill philosophy of persistence is very insightful. The only omission from the strategy is that it leaves out "what" to persist with. Let me give you one answer in one word -- value.  

Why value? That might need an article by itself but I’ll tell you this – If you haven’t yet found what to persevere with so you can get value (benefit) from it – try giving value to others, no matter what your profession is, you might discover what your ‘purpose’ is... Do it for a while and it's guaranteed.

 
Look past the effort needed. Look at what the effort really is needed for? Really for? When you can see clear to the end (might not be the means to start with), then persistence is yours. And add to that the final wisdom of Hill: What you need to develop persistence is will-power and desire. In other words, how bad do you want it? And how far are you willing to go to get it? Unless the answer is all the way, you will not persist, you will give up.

yours,

Chetan Walia