I came across an interesting question: Are drive and persistence acquired or are people born with it?
Most children are born with it. If it’s channeled in a positive direction, it can only get more focused as they grow to adulthood. They can learn to use it to their advantage with whatever they want and choose to do.
We can look at any pre-toddler who’s learning to walk. That takes tremendous drive and persistence. After a fall, they get back up, try and then fall, and get back up again. They do it over and over, until walking is mastered.
As the mother of three daughters, I saw drive and persistence in all three of them, but it was focused in different areas, depending on need and their interests. I don’t believe their father, or I had anything to do with it — drive and persistence were there from the time they were infants. We have merely tried our best to encourage them in their every endeavor.
My youngest had a very strong drive and her persistence was unmatched. There were times when I thought she might be hyperactive, but she learned to use both drive and persistence to her advantage. She stuck with anything new, until it was mastered.
As an adult, she raised four children, three of which are on the autistic spectrum. She also ran her own cleaning business and had another, baking and decorating one-of-a-kind cakes for weddings, parties and catered events.
My other two daughters were also extremely driven and persistent, but theirs was focused toward physically demanding pursuits, such as soccer, competitive ice skating, and training for and running marathons. That alone takes a mountain of drive and persistence to train for months, and to actually finish the race.
Children are born with drive and persistence and it’s followed my girls through life in a very positive direction. I’m proud of all three of them.
Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this post, please share it and consider one of three paid subscriptions for “CJ’s World” on Substack.