Questions on Perseverance

You must arm yourself with an endless patience and endurance. You do a thing once, ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times if necessary, but you do it till it gets done. And not done only here and there, but everywhere and everywhere at the same time. This is the great problem one sets oneself. That is why, to those who come to tell me very light-heartedly, “I want to do yoga”, I reply, “Think it over, one may do the yoga for a number of years without noticing the least result. But if you want to do it, you must persist and persist with such a will that you should be ready to do it for ten lifetimes, a hundred lifetimes if necessary, in order to succeed.” I do not say it will be like that, but the attitude must be like that.

Sweet Mother, Too often the feeling of incapacity and of being far from you comes to discourage the will. I am tired of my way of living, of feeling—and it seems to have no end.

To realise anything one must be patient. And the vaster and more important the realisation, the greater the patience must be.

Patience is one of the most essential conditions of the spiritual life. One must know how to wait in order to receive.

Fix not the time and the way in which the ideal shall be fulfilled. Work and leave time and way to God all knowing.

This is exactly the attitude we should all have towards transformation: as much energy and ardour as if we were certain of achieving it in our present life, as much patience and endurance as if we needed centuries to realise it.

313 – Each man of us has a million lives yet to fulfil upon earth. Why then this haste and clamour and impatience?

314 – Stride swiftly, for the goal is far; rest not unduly, for thy Master is waiting for thee at the end of thy journey.

Here again, as always, Sri Aurobindo sees every aspect of the question and while preaching calm and patience to the restless, he rouses and preaches energy to the indolent. In the union of opposites lies true wisdom and total effectiveness.

…for with patience and endurance, there is no progress which cannot be made.

To be a good teacher one must have the insight and knowledge of a Guru with an unfailing patience.

The true Power is always quiet. Restlessness, agitation, impatience are the sure signs of weakness and imperfection.

Accomplishment is without any doubt the fruit of patience.

To know how to wait is to put Time on your side.

Yoga cannot be done in a hurry—it needs many many years. If you are “pressed for time” it means that you have no intention of doing yoga—is it so?

One goes much faster when he is not in a hurry.

To really move forward, one should feel, with complete confidence, that eternity lies before him.

Never mistake rashness for courage, nor indifference for patience.

Perseverance is an active patience, a patience that marches on.

When you have started, you must go to the very end. Sometimes, you see, to people who come to me with enthusiasm I say, “Think a little, it is not an easy path, you will need time, you will need patience. You will need much endurance, much perseverance and courage and an untiring goodwill. Look and see if you are capable of having all this, and then start. But once you have started, it is finished, there is no going back any more; you must go to the very end.

And the most essential quality is perseverance, endurance, and a… what shall I call it?—a kind of inner good humour which helps you not to get discouraged, not to become sad, and to face all difficulties with a smile.

For a happy and effective life, the essentials are sincerity, humility, perseverance and an insatiable thirst for progress.

Perseverance: the decision to go to the very end.

Perseverance is patience in action.

Perseverance breaks down all obstacles.

Persevere and all obstacles will be conquered.

Persevere—it is the surest way to success. What you have not been able to achieve in you last year, you will do this year.

What you are not able to do today, you will achieve tomorrow. Persevere and you shall conquer.

It is by persevering that one conquers difficulties, not by running away from them.One who perseveres is sure to triumph. Victory goes to the most enduring. Always do your best and the Lord will take care of the results.

What is obstinacy? How can one use it best?

It is the wrong use of a great quality—perseverance.

Make a good use of it and it will be all right.

Be obstinate in your effort towards progress, and your obstinacy will become useful.

For each person the way differs in its details, but sincerity and perseverance are equally indispensable for all.