persistence

Jerry Weintraub is, by far, the most confident, crazy, unique, story-teller/story-liver person I have ever heard of and his book is pretty amazing, to say the least. 

He writes: 

Persistence— it’s a cliché, but it happens to work. The person who makes it is the person who keeps on going after everyone else has quit. This is more important than intelligence, pedigree, even connections. Be dogged! Keep hitting that door until you bust it down! I have accomplished almost nothing on the first or second or even the third try— the breakthrough usually comes late, when everyone else has left the field.

All kinds of people write all kinds of similar quotes: keep trying, persist, don't let the rejections get you down but when Jerry writes it, and you read his story, it has a greater impact. 

A few days after reading the above quote I was with my spiritual director and we were talking about a particular issue I'm still struggling with, going back and forth, trying to find some clarity. He told me I'm not praying enough about it, thinking enough about it, spending enough time on it. 

He said I need to be more persistent with God. 

It's funny how willing - or at least convinced and motivated - I am to bring persistence into  every part of my life except my interactions with the Divine. I think that needs to change.