Endurance

My interpretation on what endurance is all about - have an infinite ability to endure the unbearable. In today's world, very few people endured in life challenges, but many people simply quick to give up on anything difficult or even over the simplest task. Many things cannot be achieved overnight, but have to go through the due process - some may takes years to materialize.

Like in one of Asian folklore when a young man asked his elder "How do I endure?"

Then, the elder answered him short and precise, "you endure by enduring."

I think the above statement from TFBH is very true. There is no other ways to endure - but only by enduring the process of endurance itself, then learn and adjust from there.

Logical reasoning (logismos)

How to manage provocation?
Have you ever experienced before that you feel provoked by a person you really don’t like? Realize it or not, your thoughts after being provoked can determined your whole day either it starts with good note or otherwise. It even can determine the whole week’s mood. For me, I always want to start my day especially Mondays with good note. I don’t know about you. Take note that, at times, your mind produces negative forms of thinking which need to be arrested immediately before it can destroy your reasoning system.

You cannot allow these thoughts to roam free after being provoked because they can take control of you. The thoughts should be analyzed properly, locked up in your “tiny reasoning compartment of the brain” and you must back to control your posture and system. The menace must be constrained. Do not allow our mind wander down destructive paths and forces. I remember what Jedi Yoda in the Star Wars space opera said “may the force be with you” and I trust it must be good forces going towards victory paths.

Contrary to popular belief, actually, your mind after provoked doesn't control you, you should control it. Therefore you need to be in total control of your thoughts. Failure to do this takes you to second level of territory where these thoughts become high level thoughts which are fragile. And that's very dangerous to you if you give in. They now preoccupy you and dominate your thinking patterns.

Provocation leads to arguments?
If you still give in and do not take authority over such destructive forces, it becomes an argument, which comes from Greek word "logismos" meaning logical thinking or philosophical reasoning. In other words, it starts making sense and form a meaning to you. So you have the power to choose either you react or not to the provocation. Actually this sounds simple right? If you have this "logismos" power, then you not easily provoked. When reason and destructive thinking patterns make more sense to you, then the anger started and formed in your heart. Now your thoughts in trouble, and so are you if you are not pay extra attention.

Perseverance

There is very thin line to differentiate between success and failure - perseverance.

Be patient, and persevere. Success comes to those who persevere and make the hopeless call, tolerate late delivery of promises, who never know when to quit.

Some people are very persevere in their process to accomplish their goal. Take medical study for example. Averagely, one needs 4-5 years to complete the whole course to become a doctor. However, there are people may not stand the pressure and at the end unable to complete the course in time or give up half way. For those persevere and able to tolerate the late result for the challenging 4-5 years, the success is beyond reach and possible.

"There is nothing so elastic as the human mind. Like imprisoned steam, the more it is pressed the more it resist the pressure. The more we are obliged to do the more we are able to accomplish." Tryon Edwards (1809 - 1894)