DETERMINATION: firmness of purpose; resoluteness; strength of character; single-mindedness

Determination is simply not giving up. No matter how hard things get, or how badly you want to just give up, you keep on going. Sometimes you just want to let go, when it seems like what you are going for is just out of reach,  you are tempted to ask yourself if what you are trying to get is worth the great amount of effort that you put in it. When things get hard, you start thinking that it’s not worth it, and you just want to let it go.

Determination is a positive emotional feeling that involves persevering toward a difficult goal in spite of obstacles. Determination occurs prior to goal attainment and serves to motivate behavior that will help achieve one’s goal. Recent work in psychology incorporates the study of determination as a positive emotion that pushes individuals toward action and results in important outcomes such as perseverance and the development of coping mechanisms.

Assuming that determination is influenced by the emotion of challenge and the expectations placed on an individual by their social context, determination is fostered in educational, occupational and familial environments that encourage everyone. If an individual is provided resources and surrounded by people who believe they are capable of goal achievement, that individual is more likely to experience increases in determination and subsequent improvement in performance and well-being. Research has shown that students enrolled in positive learning environments, where teachers incorporate strategies meant to meet students’ motivational needs, are more likely to become responsible learners who display a determination to succeed.

Determination is the key to successfully dealing with interpersonal conflict. For example, young children exposed to bullying are more likely to seek social support and report bullying. A bullied child utilizing a challenge appraisal is more likely to frame bullying in a way that the unfortunate situation is seen as an opportunity to rely on others and work towards a positive solution. In this case, the child can still remain autonomous because they are acting independently to engage others. Ultimately, challenge and determination promote goal mastery and are related to increased confidence and decreased apprehension; thus, determined individuals are confident in their abilities to handle an adverse situation; however, they are not above asking for help when it is needed.

Various studies have linked determination to increases in physical health and mental well-being. Some specific positive outcomes include illness resistance, increased survival rates and decreased levels of depression. An individual experiences positive personal growth when they are able to proactively cope with a difficult situation. In such a case, an individual can acknowledge a demanding situation, take action and maintain high coping potential.

Determination is going until your legs lose feeling, until your arms break, until your head feels like it is about to explode, until your brain tells you that you are done. When your brain tells you that you are done, you tell it, “Just one more time,” just, one, more, time… #determination #inspiration #inspire #inspired #determined #littleenginethatcould