The Power of Perseverance

Let's face it.  If we want to do something well, we need to work at it.  Rarely to we get it "just right" on the first try.  Whether it's hitting a baseball, singing a song or writing a story, we need to work at it.  This is exactly what Austin, a first grader, learned when drawing a butterfly for class.  Check it out:

While we may not be drawing butterflies in our class, we can learn a lot from Austin's experience.  For Austin to succeed, he needed to persevere.  He didn't give up after his first, second or even third draft.  He kept going until he got it right.  Making multiple drafts of anything takes hard work, focus, and determination.  All of that can be summed up with one word, grit.

But Austin needed something else too.  To push him further, he needed feedback from others that was specific and timely.  When we get feedback from others, we see things that we may not have the first time around.  We notice what is possible, and if that feedback is delivered in an encouraging way, we become inspired to go back to the drawing board with renewed interest and focus.

As readers and writers, let's learn what Austin learned.  That we can outdo our previous selves with each and every draft that we create.  That we can be the ones to see the possibilities in others work.  That we encourage ourselves and others as we move through the process that we know will help us grow and flourish, just like a beautiful tiger butterfly.