We wouldn’t remember David if Goliath had mashed him into the dust.
We wouldn’t admire Churchill if Hitler’s air force had defeated the outgunned RAF in The Battle of Britain. We wouldn’t have heard of Harriet Tubman if she hadn’t had the courage and skill to help slaves escape through the Underground Railroad. We wouldn’t know much about George Washington if he hadn’t orchestrated an amazing retreat from Long Island after the first humiliating defeat in the Revolution, saving his army to remain in the field to fight again instead of surrendering and almost certainly ending the cause. We remember these people because they overcame colossal problems.
A couple of weeks ago, I introduced my new book: Inspired Every Day: Three Indispensable Ingredients to Connect With Your Passion and the three crucial elements necessary to genuine inspiration:
A purpose to live for,
A problem to tackle, and
A partnership with likeminded people.
Last week, we unpacked why purpose is paramount to inspiration. Today, we’re discussing how problems produce tenacity—a vital component of ongoing inspiration.
Do you think David, Churchill, Tubman, and Washington felt inspired when they faced the challenges I listed above? You know they did!
People who reduce their dreams so small that there’s no challenge live bland, empty lives.
But those who tackle them have inspiration dripping from every part of them.
And while it’s counterintuitive, the principle is clear: the greater the problem to be faced, the greater the force of inspiration. They may feel initially devastated by grim news, but they’re inspired to consider how to tackle the problem. They’re inspired to take the first steps, even when the difficulty is much worse than they thought, and to keep wading in until they wrestle it to the ground. Grit is tenacious inspiration.
Tenacity isn’t limited to one personality type. All of us need it, and all of us can develop it. We only develop stronger muscles when we push them so hard that they hurt and feel weak. In the same way, we only develop tenacity when we push so far into problems that we feel like we’re going to fail . . . yet we keep going. It doesn’t matter where you are on a personality or temperament instrument; you may feel like an underdog, but you can be one that does amazing things.
I know what you’re thinking. What if the problem is too big? What if it’s too heavy for me to bear? This is where the other two elements of inspiration come into play. You need your eyes set firmly on a purpose bigger than yourself to fuel your tenacity, and you need to be partnered with likeminded people who can fight alongside you, fill in the gaps, and cheer you on to the finish line.
This week, consider the problems you’re facing as opportunities to grow in tenacity and inspiration to pursue your God-given purpose.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to stay inspired and how to inspire others, click the link below and purchase a copy of my new book!
