Endurance

Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it's to the one who endures that the final victory comes. - Buddha

Last year I met a man who was in an airplane crash in the Andes mountains. He and his teammates were stuck on a mountain top for 60 days before a team was put together to walk out and get help. The "walk" was one of the most difficult mountain climbs ever attempted with a complete lack of equipment and food which consisted of the remains of friends that had died earlier in the ordeal.

After 7 days of climbing, 4 false summits and two turns that gave them a 50/50 chance of life or death, they made it out. On the last day Nando's climbing partner's body had given up and he was forced to carry him out. When I asked, "how did you find the energy to do this?" His response was, "I had no choice, it just had to be done if the others were going to survive."
Since this accident, Nando Pardo and the other survivors of this ordeal have led very successful lives. The key to his continued success was that he knew that anything could be accomplished, if you try, since very few decisions in our daily lives are life or death.

I don't see our situation as life or death, or anywhere near as serious as being stuck on a mountain without food. However, I due see similarities in our ability to pursue our goals and survive this crazy economic environment. We have no choice but to continue to push through these hard times and reach safety.

Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing hard work you already did.

Let's go out and make it happen.
Nick