Table of contents:
- What is meant by persistence?
- Why is it important to have determination?
- Persistence also has an expiration date
- Is there a way to strengthen your resolve?
Every human behavior is influenced by a thought process that ultimately creates a decision. However, to be able to make the right decisions, we must control our inner greed not to carelessly prioritize decisions that can lead to disaster - although it is sometimes tempting to do so. Having determination will have a lot of positive influence on one's character. Persistence is even considered an important factor in the success of life in order to achieve a goal.
What is meant by persistence?
To put it simply, persistence can be defined as the ability to control oneself to temporarily abandon false desires in order to achieve bigger, long-term goals. Persistence is not only related to having the motivation or determination to achieve something, but also involves controlling thought patterns and daily habits. And to be able to control yourself, all the actions and behavior you must do consciously, involving the ability to think logically and regulate emotions, and involve the ability to resist temptation.
Many believe that determination is an important factor in making lifestyle changes. With good self-control, we can adopt a healthy diet and consistent exercise, avoid unhealthy opiates such as cigarettes and alcohol, or stop procrastinating.
Why is it important to have determination?
Failure to achieve goals can be affected by many things - not just a lack of self-control or determination. But experts believe that determination is essential in achieving this goal.
A study in 1960 tried self-control in childhood. Each child is given a marshmallow. If they wait 15 minutes they will be given two marshmallows. Researchers followed-up observations until they were adults, and found that the group of children who chose to wait for two marshmallows had better levels of academic success, physical and social health qualities. From this the researchers concluded that the power of self-control that has been embedded since childhood can be a protection from a reckless lifestyle when they grow up. This research is known as the "marshmallow experiment".
The findings from these studies remain consistent with various recent studies that show someone who has the determination to delay a moment of pleasure and does not have impulsivity. Other researchers have also found that the ability to control self-control in adulthood is necessary for maintaining social relationships, maintaining mental and physical health, and for preventing alcohol and drug abuse.
Persistence also has an expiration date
Many psychologists also believe that there are limits to the power of self-control, so that a person's determination can wear out. In fact, holding back or being patient to get something you want or even need also has an impact on your mental state. Persistence can be likened to a muscle. Too long not using it will exhaust its strength, but frequent use can also cause the muscles to wear out quickly and be ineffective.
In a 1998 study, researchers placed research subjects in a room that smelled like cake. Participants were divided into two groups: One was given only one sample of cookies, while the other was given several samples in a container. Then they are assigned to solve a puzzle. At the end of the study, the group that was given one sample of cookies tended to give up faster than the group that was given a larger number of cookies. This shows that self-control can decline drastically under certain conditions.
Even so, the results of these studies can be influenced by the physical condition of each research subject. They may not be able to focus on work because of hunger, or because of an urge to snack on. The brain is the body's most complex organ and requires a lot of energy to keep it working optimally. Hence, the fuel-deficient brain can sacrifice self-control processes. Other psychological aspects can also contribute to the deterioration of the determination you have, such as mood, as well as a person's principles and attitudes toward a stimulus.
Is there a way to strengthen your resolve?
Here are some ways you can prevent your courage from dropping too much:
- Know your own condition- when you begin to lose the ability to control yourself make a few exceptions at times without losing complete control. For example, when you're on a diet, set aside one “cheat day” a week to eat the “unhealthy” foods you want, then return to your normal diet routine afterwards.
- Distract yourself - when you are facing the urge to do something that can delay your goal, try to divert your mind by doing another activity. It is important to take your mind off a momentary desire to stay focused on your goal.
- Make a new habit - stress while trying to focus on goals can make us tend to return to old habits that further distance us from the goals themselves. A new habit that is not against the goal can relax the state of the mind and keep it away from feeling bored.
- Achieve goals slowly - One of the reasons someone gives up quickly is because the goal feels very hard to achieve, and wants to be achieved in a short time. One way to prevent yourself from giving up halfway through is to do the work slowly and gradually. Don't be too fixated on how many portions to do, but try to focus on the process and the progress of what has been done.
- Be yourself - even if it's a cliché, the most important thing about passing a goal is being aware of what you really want to achieve. Forcing yourself to fulfill or follow the goals that other people set can overwhelm you for not being who you really are. This is what makes your determination to easily waver in the middle of the road.
