What does it mean to persevere?

There's something that I don't think I've covered nearly enough in my blog. It's something that all young lawyers need to know - what perseverance means.

Traditionally we think that perseverance means to continue working where we feel that we have a passion and a goal. Many people believe that perseverance involves doggedly working towards an aspect of our lives that we feel that we should succeed in. They believe that it's a habit of successful people and unsuccessful people lack perseverance.

sometimes the road ahead seems daunting

But is that all perseverance is?

We read about perseverance in self-help books and write that we 'persevere' in linkedin profiles. But do we truly understand the weight of the word?

In my belief the above isn't what perseverance means, it's a part of it- but perseverance really means building an internal strength. When I think of perseverance; I think of the word as it refers to a passion and a belief that succeeds all emotional and physical hurt, setbacks and other distractions in order to realize a continuing journey of maturity. It's not a mere skill or buzzword. It's a hard and painful lesson that we develop as we mature in our lives and 

It is often a painful experience because perseverance can only exist where there have been failures. You cannot persevere where you have only ever succeeded because that is merely success. To know how to continue working even during the most harrowing of situations is a level of maturity and true perseverance that all lawyers must possess.

Young lawyers especially must work to develop this as the law is a field that demands someone of strong spirit and rationale. While many jokes (particularly in Australia) are shared about lawyers and their wages we must not forget the emotional devastation that is a reality for many judges and lawyers.

It particularly struck me when meeting a chief magistrate in Australia, that the law requires great emotional strength from each legal representative. The magistrate spoke solemnly of the people he had sent to jail and those he had given a second chance. He was teary as he spoke and I could have joined him as I realized the gravity of the sentences given for many were life sentences in disguise remorsefully given.

One story explained that a homeless middle-aged man, living in the streets and raised in an abusive home, had used a bottle to knock out a service station attendee and stole $25. The small amount of money taken from the till was intended for food. Unfortunately the man was shaking so badly he couldn't walk or escape the scene of the crime. The police arrived quickly and the man was taken into custody.

His motivation for doing the crime?

'I hadn't eaten in three days...I was either going to steal something or kill myself.' The statement from any other person would seem over exaggerated, perhaps even falsified. But it was clear this was the reality for that man. His home life was described as shattering and it was clear his chances of getting a job after dropping out in year seven were few. But still the man was sent to prison for two years.

The sentence may appear minimal but prison can have a devastating effect on our vulnerable groups. Not only does it brutalize many people but it leads to difficulty in finding a job and building relationships both vital components of building a stable home life

So how can you continue to aim and strive for a just and equitable world when it is clear our system is fraught with issues?

Perseverance has taught us to take little steps, to continuously balance out our achievements with our

sometimes a hot drink is just enough to get us through

failures. Most importantly perseverance has taught us to fight through the sea of our failure to reach for our success.

For a long time I struggled with the desire to become a lawyer. Why would I want to become a part of a world where a man with no opportunity will be treated harsher than a man with many? How could I fight against a system that is so set against those who are helpless that even magistrates and judges feel powerless to fight against it? Surely as a mere under aged and beginning lawyer my contribution – any contribution – would be like offering a crumb to a group of starving elephants.

I'm no philosopher, but I have decided that I have reached a conclusion. In-eloquently put; there are many things in the world that are unbalanced. Some of these things are heartbreaking, the way that we view criminals and the disadvantaged. The way that we segregate based on religion, wealth or race. Yet, it is only when, among all of the disappointment, breakdowns and failures, that we continue to strive and persevere to effect some kind of change that we actually create change.

There are many legal greats of our time and of times past. All of them started out as people, people who felt that there was something unbalanced in this world. They all would have felt the daunting and demoralizing weight of institutions. Yet they still stood and worked. They persevered.

I'd encourage all my readers, potential lawyers or not, to continue persevering. It may have broken every belief I had in the law to read the sentences given through Australian courts but it has also helped me to rebuild them. Rebuild them with a foundation in reality and a tenacious belief that continuous perseverance and hard work will, however small, effect change.

Love,

The Underage Lawyer.