By Darrin Patrick
...unyielding determination [is] indispensable for genuine change.
... At the heart of determination is a resolute decision to do something and to not stop until it is done. But our energy and effort are spoiled unless we do the right thing. To determine is simply to say no to one thing and yes to something else. In developing determination, we must face the past and discern both the right path forward and those obstacles that will hinder us as we walk down that path. The choices may not be easy, nor may they be safe, but we cannot escape them.
... Determined men refuse the nostalgia of the past or the speculation of the future. Instead, they embrace the present because they know that every choice right now determines how the future will look. They don't shrink from reality but courageously confront it. They stare down the temptation to escape into the past or daydream about the days ahead, while fighting to embrace the world around them even as they seek to change it for the better.
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Determined men realize that they have twenty-four hours in a day, and if they waste time it is because they intend to do so. Determined men take time seriously and are very intentional about how they use it. This does not mean we never rest--far from it! But it does mean we should be intentional about when and how we rest.
For most of us, redeeming time probably does not mean spending hours each night watching television, surfing YouTube, or dinking around in the garage. Such activities may feel relaxing in the moment, but they are often a drain on our energy and ability to uphold our many responsibilities. For most of us, redeeming time will mean that we work hard to eliminate unnecessary time suckers in our week, design systems for answering e-mails efficiently, think through our weekly schedules and priorities beforehand, and live by predetermined goals.
Your life is before you. ... The meaning and the purpose you have been made for will not be discovered on the couch. Life is pursuing you, and it will find you out. You can try to avoid the curveballs, drowning out the challenges and obstacles of life with hobbies and TV. But at some point a crisis will arise, and you will be faced with a decision to press on or check out. What will you choose to do the moment it arrives? Will you lead your life, or will you let it lead you?
2 comments:
I tried so much to be a determined teenager but I fail often and I do what should not be done .after that my determination vanishes . then I feel like I'm finished , what you think about that and how can I be really a determined person?
Hello Abdur,
Thank you for writing. It can be tough to remain determined when there are many distractions in life and circumstances or issues that cause us to feel let down, overwhelmed, or to lose our motivation. I would encourage you to get a notebook and write down everything you need to remain determined over and then write a bullet point list of steps below each one that you can take to accomplish what needs to be done, regardless of how you feel. Often times, people tend to let their emotions or feelings rule them and then wonder why they aren't doing what they need to or started doing what they shouldn't. We must have a plan to put into action regardless of whether we feel determined or not.
I hope this helps!
Emma Joy
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