Skill, Character, or Luck?

 The thing I learned the most from this week's readings is that while skill and character are important, luck is the least influential of the three when it comes to success, and the character trait of perseverance is the the most important when it comes to success in any given field.  

Perseverance is a character trait, and so reinforces my initial belief that character is the most important of the three things that go into success stories.  While skill is very important, almost every skill is dependent on the person's ability to persevere while learning (and failing many times) while learning that given skill.   It seems that most of the people we listened to in the videos are great fans of perseverance.  I know that perseverance has been a great help during different times in my life.  

As I began to overhaul my health over a year ago, I began with small steps of eliminating harmful things from my diet (mainly sugar and refined carbohydrates).  Once I had this under control, I kept doing it.  Every day.  Sometimes, I decided that the occasion warranted a sugary treat, but the very next meal, I was back to eating things that nourished my body and promoted health.  I did this whether or not I felt like it, and whether or not it was convenient.  Once I really had my eating under control, I began to add exercise.  I started with the goal of moving aerobically three times a week, come rain or shine.  Once that habit was strong, I added weight training on the alternating days, and added another aerobic session to the week.  I continued with my eating habits.  I exercise every day, rain or shine, whether I feel like it or not.  Somehow, these small habits, performed every day have completely changed my body and my health.  I have people coming up to me, asking me what they should do, and looking for the same results.  I find this hilarious.  I could not get my weight where I wanted it for over 20 years.  Yet by committing to brain health and employing very small behavior changes over and over and over, every day whether I felt like it or not, and getting back onto the plan immediately after I had a dietary or exercise slip, I've managed to become a health inspiration and success to those around me.  Crazy what small things over time will add up to.  This is perseverance.  

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