The Greek tragedian, Aeschylus once said, “His resolve is not to seem the bravest, but to be.” As a noun, resolve refers to a strong determination to do something but the meaning of resolve is much more complex than that. Many times, we confuse the appearance of individual determination or the initial effort associated with achieving an audacious goal as complete resolve. However, true resolve isn’t something that typically manifests itself with a short burst of effort. True resolve is tested in three distinct ways; a lasting passion to achieve a specific goal, blind optimism and the will to endure,
Passion to Achieve
When we truly commit to a goal or objective, we must ensure that we are willing to maintain the requisite passion for the ultimate goal or objective from beginning to end. If we question our ability to remain passionate and maintain the appropriate level of motivation to achieve the goal, then we should really question why we are focused on the goal at all. A fundamental building block of resolve is the willingness to commit to the level of motivation and passion required to be victorious.
Blind Optimism
As Robert F. Kennedy once said, “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” The times that require the ability to endure are the times when we have a willingness to take on a challenge that most “prudent” people would never attempt. Those times when we have an idea or a belief that goes against the grain. When we set out to achieve something that makes many question our knowledge or competence in a given circumstance. Our resolve is tested during those times when we must be willing to ignore that most believe the odds are against us. It is resolve that allows us to count on that blind optimism that counters the voices in our head that tells us we can’t find success.
Resolve Requires Endurance
How many times should we fail before we give up? I suggest that we should never know the answer to that question if we truly understand the level of endurance required to have true resolve. When we don’t find success in the timeframe we would prefer, it is that endurance that prevents us from quitting, maintaining the continued level of effort past the point where most would quit. We all have the will to win within us and that is resolve.
Resolve is the engine that propels us forward even after our first, second, third and fourth attempts have failed. That engine of resolve will run in each of us until we decide to turn it off. I suggest that each of us should know the difference between turning the engine off when the road is rough and when we have crossed the finish line victorious.