12: DETERMINATION AND PERSEVERANCE

DREAM TO SHINE WITH LORETA PACIA ROGERO

Welcome to DREAM TO SHINE show. I'm Loreta and in this episode, LET’S TALK ABOUT DETERMINATION and PERSEVERANCE!!! I will be sharing about how I overcome challenges through perseverance and determination …
James 1:12 New International Version (NIV)
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
What is perseverance?
Perseverance is not giving up. It is persistence and tenacity, the effort required to do something and keep doing it ‘till the end, even if it's hard. WOW! Persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.
Determination is the quality that you show when you have decided to do something and you will not let anything stop you.
Determination gives you the resolve to keep going in spite of the roadblocks that lay before you. Denis Waitley
PERSEVERANCE AND DETERMINATION is my way of life.
Giving up has never been part of my vocabulary! I’m a go-getter (I know what I want, and I know how to get it). Once I set my mind, heart and soul into something, I’ll make sure I’ll get it! I’ll make sure it happens no matter what it takes. Of course, without stepping into someone else’s toes or hurting someone.
I always believe that If at first you don’t succeed, try again.
Try and try until you succeed. (not until you die, ok?!!!)
Thomas Edison who invented the light bulb and his famous quotes “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”
Thomas Edison did not consider the number of ways or the number of times he tried as a failure. He considered it as finding 10,000 ways that won’t work. Would you be willing to try 10,000 times until you succeed? Would you be willing to find 10,000 ways to make things work?
It’s a blessing that I don’t have to try 10,000 times to achieve my dreams and goals. But even if I had to, I will keep on trying and find 10,000 ways until I succeed and achieve my dreams.
How about you?
How many ways are you going to find in order to succeed?
How many times are you willing to keep trying until you succeed?
In my podcast episode “GOING WHERE YOU WANT TO BE”, I shared about my driver’s license story and that I passed first lesson after 8th attempts. I persevered and had a breakthrough! I almost gave up, but I passed and so I continued my lessons until I got my driver’s license.
I remember After graduating high school in 1986, I was told by my Father that he can’t support my college education anymore that it’s best to just sell something like vegetables and start earning. I was taken aback! I wanted to beg and argue with him that time, “Tatay,” (that’s what I call my father), “I’m a consistent first honor student since Primary 1, I’m a valedictorian. I can apply for scholarship in any university! Just give me some money for transportation and to pay exams! But what’s the point begging or arguing? He doesn’t have the money! His salary is just enough for our food and for us to get by. He will not be able to relate anyway on why I want to go to university, coz he only finished primary 4, it’s not his fault that he lost his parents at an early age. Is this giving up? Nah, it’s just a DELAY. There must be another way!
During that time, in our town, going to Japan as entertainer is very common and it’s sponsored for free and salary deduction later once you pass. My neighbors have done it, and so I thought of trying it for at least 6 months until I can save the money for college. I love to sing and dance anyway, why not use my talent and join a dance group. I practiced and practice, til muscles were sored and body ached. Gotta wear high heels and sweat it all out. I thought it’s gonna be an easy task, but IT’S NOT!!! I attended several auditions and keeps failing. I tried several promotions group but it didn’t work! Until my appendix gave up! I had apendictomy!!! Did I give up? Of course not, I just took a short break in dancing and I joined a female band as a drummer!  I dreamt of becoming a drummer too! For those who know me, can you imagine? Loreta, a drummer? Have you ever thought of me as a drummer? Well, the manager didn’t think so, and assigned me to be the lead vocalist instead. OMG! Life is really funny you know! I practiced for a while but ran out of money so I stopped attending and did not pursue this path anymore. I don’t want my mother to keep on borrowing money from her friends. My father doesn’t know that time. I am grateful for my mother’s support as well as to our generous neighbors whom I consider Aunties and Uncles so I can go to college. Anyway, I decided and accepted that this entertainment world and career path isn’t for me. God must have other plans for me!
After almost a year, my high school friend Shirley told me she’s taking entrance exam at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, so I told my mother I want to take the exam too. Once again she borrowed money from her friends. I took the university exam and passed. Now, comes the time to decide what course to take, as we don’t have subject in high school that talks about career paths, I really have no idea what course to take. My mother told me to be a teacher or take civil engineering course because I’m quiet, and all these are based on our friends or neighbors’ inputs. So, I went up and down to find a course to queue up for, the civil engineering queue is very long, so I tried accountancy, same long queue, so at the 6th floor, there’s a shorter queue and the person-in-charged were very friendly and accommodating. It’s Bachelor in Information Technology, they told me I’m qualified, so, I registered, not knowing that we’re the first batch for this new course.
THIS IS IT LORD! Then, I applied for scholarship and graduated cum laude (with honor). I thank God for the detour, the challenges and the support of all the people He sent into my life!
Our greatest weakness in life lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. So, if I had given up on my dream to get a university degree, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to work overseas, in the National University of Singapore as IT Systems Analyst. And after several years, who would have thought I wouldn’t be doing podcasting now.  There’s an endless opportunities out there.
So, what about my dream of becoming a performer, entertainer, drummer?
I can do that too …. I can do FB live and perform.
Let’s continue to bloom where we are planted to dream and shine
CONCLUSIONS:
IT TAKES PERSEVERANCE AND DETERMINATION TO PURSUE AND ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS
CALL TO ACTION
• NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS UNTIL YOU SHINE AND SUCCEED.
• Take a leap of faith! If you can’t take a leap, take at least a step of faith to pursue your dream
• Take one day and one step at a time and enjoy your journey as you fulfil your dream and purpose in life
I hope this episode about PERSEVERANCE and DETERMINATION will inspire and empower you to keep trying until you achieve your dreams and goals.
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I look forward to seeing you in my next episode where I will be sharing more of my personal journey and breakthroughs on how you too could DREAM TO SHINE. 