Perseverance has extraordinary power. You need the power of perseverance to overcome many of life’s most difficult challenges. Like substance abuse, addiction, and major depression.

Or recovering from surgery, an accident, or a disease. Not all challenges will result in initial success. But never give up. for it is only through perseverance and diligence that dreams can be achieved.

“Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing great or small, large or petty – never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.” – Winston Churchill

Perseverance is essential. Yet, it is also true that most people find it too easy to become disheartened when things don’t go as planned or anticipated. That is human nature. Whether the individual is in recovery or not doesn’t matter. Humans make mistakes. We have clouded judgment at times. We are often overly emotional about things when making decisions.

There is a tendency to blame time and place or say it is just bad luck when it comes to success. That’s an excuse. It is a rationalization instead of owning up to the truth: We didn’t keep at it or gave up too soon.

Sure, there are good reasons to get discouraged. These include attempting a goal without readiness, insufficient training, lack of knowledge or experience, and fear of success or failure.

Perseverance Means You Keep Going

However, that’s more ammunition to keep plugging away at plans. Go step by step until there is an achievement. Look for progress that can reassure you of being on the right track. This motivates when nothing else will.

How else can we explain the success of others who, by all outward appearances, have nothing going for them and seem doomed to failure? Yet, it happens every day that individuals achieve tremendous success, and reach lofty goals, perhaps because of or despite their disadvantaged backgrounds.

• What about those who have nothing positive in our history to point to?
• What if we mess up everything we’ve ever attempted? Or have we made more mistakes than wise decisions for a long time?
• We can blame it all on someone else, our preoccupation with making money, an obsessive focus on relationships, or one or more addictions.
• If we let our lives slip into disarray or ignored obvious symptoms, there may be some valid basis for such an explanation.
• But it is still not taking responsibility for what’s happened. After all, no one forced us to drink or do drugs.
• Granted, we may have a biological marker that is a contributing factor. Such as generations of family alcoholism. Yet thousands of individuals with such markers do not become alcoholics.

How to Turn Things Around

Suffice it to say that if we have a bleak history concerning success, it is time to change that. Start working today to achieve small successes. Start somewhere. Set reasonable goals that have a realistic chance of success.

And some things qualify in this area. Treat ourselves better. Get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Eat regular and well-balanced meals. Get some daily physical exercise. These are not tough goals. They should be the ones we can do.

Perseverance Helps in Achieving Goals

Little accomplishments will begin to add up. Here’s how it works.

• When we are properly nourished, well-rested, and have increasing amounts of energy because we are getting physical exercise to jumpstart our system, there are multiple physical, emotional, and psychological benefits.
• There’s no reliance on substances for a jolt or numb reality.
• Therefore, welcome the opportunity to live clear-headed and free of alcohol and drugs.
• This is the path to healing from addictions.
• It is also an example of taking the first steps in a personal path of recovery from any medical condition, disease, tragedy, emotional disturbance, or illness.

Be sure to use the support and encouragement readily available to us from our family members and loved ones. Only those who are committed to our recovery can offer the kind of unflagging support that’s so crucial to ongoing progress.

If we know we have allies, that will ease our minds and allay some of our fears about tackling goals. Especially difficult goals and those that take a long time. Everyone in recovery started with uncertainty and fear. The unpredictability of the future can be truly frightening.

Know that it is possible to get through this with perseverance and determination. It will not be easy. But it isn’t out of the question, either. Life is precious. It is also short. Isn’t it better to live with the hope and expectation of doing the best to be happy, productive, and fulfilled?

Extraordinary Power of Perseverance

Another extraordinary power of perseverance is that it is self-renewing. The more we persevere, the more we want to continue, and the clearer the goal or objective becomes. When we encounter obstacles, a strong commitment to perseverance can lead to discovering alternative ways to achieve desired goals.

Be comforted that millions of individuals in recovery have found hope, comfort, peace, happiness, and love. We can, too, if we maintain our perseverance, never give in, and never give up.

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This article was originally published on Psych Central.

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