The Year of Living Tenaciously

As you head into 2013, here’s a simple resolution that can help
you achieve personal and career success: Be persistent and
tenacious.

I’m a big fan of the mid-19th century essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson and I love this quote: “Good luck is another name for tenacity of purpose.” So now that we’re at the end of the year, I’d like to offer this piece of simple common sense advice for success in 2013: Be tenacious.

Tenacious people commit to three things. First, they take personal responsibility for their career success. Second, they know that they are responsible for their own life. Third, they set high goals for themselves and do whatever it takes to achieve them. More importantly, tenacious people know that as they go through life-stuff happens.
Like any other year, 2013 will present you with problems and setbacks. How do you respond? By being tenacious and choosing to react positively to the negative stuff that happens and move forward toward your goals.

I live in Denver where the weather is very variable. Last December, on the first day of winter, it was 60 degrees. That night the TV weather announcer reminded us that on the last day of summer we had snow. This got me thinking about the unpredictability of life. As I frequently say to my career success coaching clients, stuff will happen as you go through life-good stuff, bad stuff, happy stuff, sad stuff, encouraging stuff, frustrating stuff.

However, it’s not the stuff that happens that’s important, it’s how you react to it. You can’t control the people and events in your life. You can control how you react to people and events in your life. And you can tenaciously pursue your goals.
I choose to react positively to the people and events in my life and to tenaciously follow my purpose and dreams. And I urge you to commit to doing the same in 2013. I know this isn’t always easy. In fact, it’s seldom easy. But the harder you find reacting positively to negative people and events, the more important it becomes. Don’t blame people or circumstances when things go wrong. Instead, choose to be tenacious and learn the lesson behind every less than successful relationship or event in your life.

When you look for the lesson behind problems, setbacks and failures you are being tenacious. You are taking responsibility for your life and career success. Find the lessons in the bad stuff that happens and then do something to make those lessons work for you. Put yourself in the driver’s seat.
Remember, only you can make your life a success by committing to take personal responsibility. If you’re persistent and tenacious, especially in the face of difficulties and problems, then 2013 will be your best year ever.

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