Jk Rowling Perseverance

To persevere is to continue through a challenge when the outcome seems bleak and to continue to push through even when everything seems to be falling apart. J.K. Rowling exemplified perseverance in her journey to becoming a successful author. Before the Harry Potter series took off, she was at a very low point in her life. Penniless, recently divorced and taking care of a child while on welfare, she sent off a copy of her first book with hopes of finding a publishing house that would take it on. She was rejected twelve times before she finally found a publishing company that would help her (Ostrowsky). When speaking of her own journey J.K. Rowling stated that, “Failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me.”.
Keeping the mind straight on the path may be difficult for some, but when mastered, a disciplined mind can unlock great potential in oneself. It takes a lot of strength and will power to be able to do so. Many successful people can attribute their successes to self- discipline. A great example of a disciplined mind would be the famous Samurai and philosopher, Miyamoto Musashi. Musashi was the top duelist in the feudal era of Japan when Samurai were feared and dueling and war were common. In his book “The Book of Five Rings” Musashi speaks immensely of discipline and the mind. He states that, “Today is victory over yourself of yesterday; tomorrow is your victory over lesser men.” This means that one must first have the self-discipline to control their own mind and actions before they can control outside factors and situations. This quote applies to everyone, and suggests that people need to have the discipline to strive to be a better person and to push forward despite the challenges they are faced