The Three Ds….Desire, Dedication and Determination

Desire, dedication and determination.  These are the 3 D’s I have used in my life to climb the many hills that I have faced. Of these I consider determination to be the most important. I’ll explain why…

Determination is one of the greatest tools we have. It is a firmness of purpose that enables us to keep going in the face of overwhelming obstacles. It is the spirit of not quitting, of never giving up, even when our spirit is broken or humiliated.

It helps us to stay on purpose, to continue to reach for our goals, to dig deep and tap into the infinite source of strength and courage that is in us all. Without determination we may never know what we are capable of.

With it, mistakes become guideposts, temporary setbacks helping us to find a better way to accomplish our dreams. Feelings of discouragement are short-lived as we are able to refocus and set a new path. Determination turns the impossible into the possible.

My attitude of loving the hills is another way of expressing my determination in life. It is a quality that sustained me for almost six months in the spinal ward. It stayed with me on the long and arduous journey of rehabilitation, of learning to walk again, and learning to fly. It is with determination that I am still able to live with disability and see every obstacle as part of the larger picture that enables me to learn and grow.

Thankfully, not everyone has to face a life-altering accident or disability, yet we all have day-to-day challenges that need a certain amount of determination if we are to live fully. They could be any of these to some degree…

- Break-up, separation or divorce

- Facing an illness or sickness

- Loss of employment

- Financial setbacks

- Juggling family commitments

- Study and further education demands

…. the list is endless.

Living the life we want requires us to exercise our determination, and there has been much research done in this area that has shown, just like all of the muscles in our body, it is a quality that can be developed. We can all take some encouragement from this!

This quote from Calvin Coolidge sums up the importance of determination -

“Press on. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; there is nothing more common in the world than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

Think about a time in your life when you have exercised your determination and achieved something you really wanted. There is such an incredible sense of fulfilment to know you have given it your best and no matter what the outcome was, that is the most important thing.

After all, it’s not what you do that is important; it’s how you do it. Don’t you agree?