“Not to give up under any circumstances should be the motto of our life: I shall try again and again, and I am bound to succeed. There will be obstacles, but I have to defy the obstacles.”
~ Sri Chinmoy
photo source: ( www.ianbrodie.com/.../)This quote is taped to the top of my computer. It reminds me that my success is up to me.
When I encounter obstacles, I need to go around them or over them or blast right through them. When the road is rough, I need to buy myself a new pair of shoes and keep on walking. When the sun disappears, I need to write by starlight. Again and again and again...
We have to be willing to keep trying, keep believing, until we get there. If we give up, we'll never reach the end of the road - success. I will crawl my way to it if I have to, but I WILL make it! And so will you.
How about you? Are you prepared to keep going and defy the obstacles - no matter what?
39 comments:
Of course! I'm with you all the way Shannon! :) Great quote to have stuck on your computer. But tell me, surely there must be days where you curse at it?
Great quote - today seems to be the day of perseverence in the blogosphere! Thanks!
I will never give up (because I'm stubborn)
I would have given up yesterday, last month, last year -- so many times were it not for my writing friends. I'm sure I need a thicker skin, but I'm delighted for the coats of encouragement people give me to make up for my thin one.
I can't give up, because I won't let myself. (I guess I'm stubborn too.)
I have this quote on my lappy:
"The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible." Arthur C. Clarke
and
"You can do the hard things!" I'm pretty sure Elana J. said that. =)
Onward into the dark night!
Onward believing in our fight!
Onward we journey through the perils of right!
Onward we go, forever searching for the light!
Yeah - I was in the fourth grade when I penned that little poem. But I have never forgotten it. For some reason my fourth grade self needed to believe that something was worth fighting for and to her I tip my hat.
Thanks for the reminder AND the resurgence of a memory. ;o)
I am ready to move through the perils! lol
Visit My Kingdom Anytime
Oh this is perfect, Shannon! We have to keep this in mind as writers because the obstacles are always there.
This is an inspirational post, Shannon: thanks for the rallying cry. There are a few things I wouldn't be prepared to do ;) but this is no easy task we have set for ourselves.
You got it, Shannon. No. Turning. Back!!
"Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal."
Don't be swayed.
Sher~
(I copied your quote, by the way.)
I'm with you!! Especially about the new shoes! :)
I've thought about quitting many times, but I can't seem to. I don't know if I'm persistent or just a glutton for punishment.
Good post. I have a similar post I am doing at my blog tomorrow. I will link to yours too. Thanks!!!
Yep, I'll willing to do what it takes - no fear (but I'll also take the new shoes)
Yes. Well, there are days that I don't think I can do it. In fact, my blog post is a link to my article for our local women's magazine on those nasty Devil Voices that form a committee in your brain and tell you that you're not good enough. Thank you for being one of the Angel voices that say, Of course, you can!
For sure I am committed to seeing my work go all the way!
But I also agree with Steven Goldsberry in 'The Writer's Book of Wisdom, 101 Rules for Mastering Your Craft'--"Train one eye on the mountain peak, the other on the path. Enjoy the climb. The journey is its own reward."
May joy in the climb be there, too :-)
I agree w/ this to an extent, but I think one critical aspect of life (that is too often trodden upon) is to have an idea of one's limitations.
Love the quote. You'll never know what you can do if you give up at the first obstacle. Just keep at it.
Great quote indeed! Thanks for sharing. I won't give up because I don't like the alternative.
I love the quote. I haven't given up yet and don't plan to. But some days, I come close.
Shannon, there's no doubt in my mind you will succeed. You already are succeeding in empowering all of your blogging community toward success. In encouraging others, as you do every day, you are encouraging yourself. I love how that works! I look forward to when we meet for real. Even if it's five years from now, won't it be fun to share our many success stories?
I can't say I never get discouraged or overwhelmed, but I could never give up. First, I write because it's who I am. Second, I don't like quitting. So it would seem I'm in for the long haul, fighting my way around the obstacles. But I know you'll be there, too, as well as a bunch of our blogging buddies. So, yay!
This is great advice. Determination is a powerful ally.
Remember that plot point in the Shawshank Redemption when Andy writes to the sate for like 15 years until they give the prison money for the library?
That's what I call perseverance.
You bet! And, who knew a career in writing could be filled with SO MANY of them! :-) Great quote and post!
I'm one of those stubborn one-step-at-a-time types. I don't make super fast progress, but I do keep moving forward!
I think, for the true writer, abandoning writing isn't possible. I might get tired of querying after a while and go on hiatus from that, but I won't quit writing. And while on hiatus, more writing will be done. So, it's really just a circle.
I started reading Andre Agassi's autobiography, Open, today, and wept shamelessly throughout the first chapter (was on a crowded train, so you can bet I attracted a fair bit of attention). And for some strange reason, I kept thinking of you.
Just wanted to let you know.
Thanks, Shannon- I really needed this! There seem to be a lot of obstacles in my path these days. If you know how to add an extra hour or two to the day that would be a great start! :)
I try to be! Some obstacles are definitely harder than others.
It starts with one step, and then the courage to take another. :)
If we keep taking steps, it will happen for all of us. :)
Happy Mother's Day!
I think of you as a super mom -- to your kids, your students, your blog followers.
Hope you get a day of laying in the hammock with a really hot coffee and a good book!
Some days are harder than others, but I'm stubborn. I'm willing to crawl :)
Sheer stubbornness. And I'm afraid it's genetic, which means my kids have it too! :) Happy Weekend!
I hear ya and am with ya. One of my favorites is: Of all the sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: it might have been. Just can't let that happen!!
Yep, I'm running the race with perseverance. Next stop? China!
Patti
www.pattilacy.com/blog
Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit." --Aristotle
May we all develop the habit of perseverence!
I have to many obstacles. One at a time :)
SO true! I love it!
I think I should follow in your footsteps and put that quote above my computer as well, sometimes you need to be reminded that you're the one stopping YOU from success, LOL.
I like how you don't rely on only one way to overcome your obstacles: I love the contrast between blasting and crawling.
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