Relentless is my favourite word in the english language. It has implications like no other word I know. It is greater than persistence, perseverance or determination. It implies the highest level of commitment to whatever you are trying to accomplish to the point that any obstacles or challenges, which get in your way, drive you with even greater resolve towards your goal.
In this time of pandemic, many of us are undergoing great change in our lives in our health, our careers, our relationships and our other priorities. Many are even questioning why they were on a certain trajectory in their lives, which was unfulfilling and, possibly, lacking any real meaning.
This has led to a great upheaval in many of our lives and this is the time to put this word into practice. Many of you may not know what it means to be relentless because you have not pursued any specific goal with so much passion that you do not see any other alternative.
This is how I approached the writing of my first book, ‘Healing From The Inside Out.’ I always knew that I wanted to become a published author with a traditional publisher. When I set out to write my book, I did not know how long it would take and I did not have a publishing contract. I did it strictly with the determined resolve of my original goal, which was to become a published author.
I’ve always had a passion for writing, helping people heal and achieve their highest potential. This was one of many passions that made me relentless in their pursuit. Becoming an author was a professional milestone for me but my other relentless pursuits were personal interests such as learning rock climbing, becoming a tracker and my journey to master the martial art of Kali.
Some of them have distinct endpoints, such as becoming a published author but others are never ending, such as mastering Kali. The point of becoming relentless is not the endpoint but the journey itself. The pursuit of any goal with a relentless drive is an incredible journey, unlike any other that you will experience. I personally feel that there is no other way to live in this world.
If the pandemic has turned your life upside down, then pick up the pieces, take stock of where you are and be deeply grateful for all of your blessings, including any free time that the pandemic has created for you. Next, pick one or two goals or ambitions that you may have always had but never pursued due to any number of excuses you may have had at that time.
Once you know what goal you want to accomplish, relentlessly pursue it and do not stop no matter what gets in your way. Learn from others that have done what you want to do, read books, get a coach, find a mentor, learn from your mistakes and do whatever it takes to keep moving forward on this journey to your goal, even if your steps are incremental.
Being relentless is the only path to success, and even though your success is not guaranteed, what is guaranteed is that you will learn tons along the way, grow in wisdom, evolve in consciousness and find true fulfillment.
Dr. Nauman Naeem