Continuous Effort

“Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.” – Winston Churchill

Well said not only by Mr. Churchill but numerous number of thinkers on Persistence and Continuous Efforts. I realized hidden power of saying not through words but through behaviour of my little daughter.

One fine evening, after busy office work hours, I was bit engaged in some reading activity in my study. My kid, be it by habit or by nature, wants to do same thing that I was doing. She came close to me and demanded to sit on my chair. And because of my habit I politely refused and said “Beta, Papa doing some important work. Now go and don’t disturb”. She left for a while. After some time, she again came back and repeated same words and I did my part of work. This was repeated couple of times and lastly I gave to her wish and offered my chair to her and she happily sat there and started doing her drawing work.

I realized how she made me to accept her demands because of her continuous persistence. I am overwhelmed with the power of persistence and doing one’s own work and making efforts.

Many time it happens that we left things undone after facing initial refusals. But this was never case with conduct of my little one (and I believe this is true with all kids), she keeps on doing the same action which she knows is best for her – even if unknowingly. This make me to think why as a kid we have a very strong desire to get things done through our actions or at least make continuous efforts towards it but why as we grow old we accept the things as it is? May be one is too much engrossed with want of immediate results and if it is not as per expectations then one may come in denial mode.

To overcome this God himself has given solution through his words:

"karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu kadachana ma karma-phala-hetur bhur ma te sango ’stv akarmani" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 47)