Window or Mirror?

“Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.”

(two of thirteen definitions)
1. A firm decision to do something
2. Firmness of mind or purpose

Irresolution on the schemes of life which offer themselves to our choice, and inconstancy in pursuing them, are the greatest causes of all our unhappiness. - Joseph Addison

No one would have crossed the ocean if he could have gotten off the ship in a storm. - Charles Kettering

When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at this rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet, at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it, but all that had gone before. - Jacob A. Riis

It is trivial to say that success comes from perseverance because it is so obvious. Franklin’s text shows an added depth however, as he implies that each of us should work at finding out what it is that we should be doing, as well as doing it without fail. This concept brings together the best of Order, Resolution, and Integrity.

My thoughts on resolution are summarized in this list:

Consistency breeds ongoing improvement
The best way to find if your plan works in reality is to stick to it doggedly over time. Sooner or later you’ll find if your plan fails in some area, or if other factors are not ripe. Keeping your word not only supports others and their impression of you, it plants the seeds of true self-esteem.

Strong and well-defined decisions chart a course
It does no good to make decisions in an ill-defined manner, even if you do it quickly. The only way to support your plan with decision-making is to understand both deeply; this is impossible if both the plan and the decisions that support it are not well-defined.

Stay the course
If your plan looks like it isn’t working, give it time. Don’t second guess yourself immediately. You’ll find that in our society, most people don’t think as deeply as you, and certainly are not as worried about improving themselves. This environment can cause you to doubt that your course is true; in fact, it is a likely sign that your course is right!

Go out on a limb
Commit yourself to courses of action that are not fully known at the onset. Do not be hasty, but remember, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained”. The depth of learning that these situations offer is intense.