There are three kinds of people: people who make things happen -- people who watch someone else make it happen -- and people who don't know what's happening.
The Make-It-Happen People
Thomas Edison persisted through 4,999 different attempts to invent and perfect the incandescent lamp. He finally succeeded on his 5,000th attempt. This is a recorded fact. What do you suppose he had that others didn't have? Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit. Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.
What is persistence? It is the power to hold on in spite of everything, to endure--this is the winner's quality. Persistence is the ability to face defeat again and again without giving up--to push on in the face of great difficulty. Persistence means taking pains to overcome every obstacle, to do all that's necessary to reach you goals. To go on resolutely, in spite of difficulties... endurance. Having a fixed purpose, free from doubt or wavering. Firm in adherence to whatever one is bound to by duty or promise. Stubborn - unyielding - never giving up - never surrendering - willing to die for - never yielding to physical force, even when tortured - would rather die than betray or give up information. Refusing to relent. To be steadfast in purpose . To prevail, endure, remain, last.