Persistence

I apologize for so few articles recently--I have been training, studying and spending far too much time on my Facebook Stotan Runners page. It is my hope that I will leave Facebook shortly and the only other posts I'll do there will be ones I link from here. I have some new thoughts and ideas I hope to put them into words.
 In this day and age we are inundated with information from so many different sources. Movies, books, newspapers, magazines, television and radio supply viewers and readers with a staggering amount of things to watch and read. Always popular with the public are the success stories written about, or by, someone who has overcome obstacles to finally reach their goal(s). It's also common to read quotes and sayings by these individuals, you may see them on posters, bumper stickers, online or in magazines. Most of us read them and say something like, "that's really good," and continue on. I'd like to offer a few suggestions for the next time you come across a really good, insightful quote. First off, recognize that the person quoted is not just saying this to titillate you, the intention is for the reader to learn from it, and in many cases, act on it. Secondly, the person giving the quote is operating from his personal experience, what and how he did something led to his learning from or accomplishing something. What follows are some quotes by notable people on persistence. Regular readers to this blog have read that persistence is the key to running and athletic success. Persistence has to do with sticking with it when MOST others have "bagged" their goals and moved on to something else. My advice to myself and others on what you are about to read is: Read, Learn From and Act On It.
 Here goes: "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence,talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." This quote, believe it or not, is by President Calvin Coolidge. "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Quote by Benjamin Franklin." We are made to persist. That's how we find out who we are," Quote by Tobias Wolff. As I used to tell the High School athletes I coached, "you can't make an average sprinter great by just training, but, you can make an average distance runner a very good one if the athlete is willing to stick with it and do the work. The above quotes are by people, who through their experiences, know what they are talking about. For those of us who are sitting on the fence in regards to going for it, isn't it time "we found out who we are?"