Persistence Is How You Became Who You Are (Whether You Like It or Not)
Luke Fenwick is a Melbourne-based life coach, leadership coach and ultra-endurance athlete. He helps men and women master mindset, habits and discipline to build lives they’re proud of. Connect on LinkedIn.
Challenge who you have become — Life Coach Australia Insights
We forget this far too easily.
The person you are today was built through persistence.
You weren't born disciplined, confident, articulate, or capable. You became that way through repetition. As a baby, you didn't wake up "feeling motivated" to crawl. You didn't need a vision board to learn to walk. You just kept face-planting until you didn't any longer.
This is one of the most important lessons I teach in mindset and life coaching programs.
No identity crisis. No overthinking.
No "I'll start Monday."
Just persistence doing its thing.
Somewhere along the way, we got soft. Started expecting transformation without discomfort. Results without reps. We became adults who quit things after two weeks because we "don't see progress yet."
Your three-year-old self would be embarrassed.
The Brutal Truth About Your Current Life
Here's what most people don't want to hear:
You are already a product of persistence. Just maybe not the kind you planned.
That Netflix habit? Persistent.
The excuse-making? Persistent.
The procrastination? Bloody persistent.
The life you're living today, the good, bad, and mediocre…was built by whatever you repeated long enough for it to become normal. If you want to take credit for the epic stuff you’ve done, then you need to take credit for where you are holding yourself back!
After 25+ years working with people in all kinds of different environments and under all kinds of personal circumstances, & now in life and leadership coaching focused on behaviour change, I've learned this: We don't lack persistence. We're just persistent at the wrong things.
Think about the thing that doesn’t serve you well, that you’ve done for years. Can you imagine if you spent the same time, energy and focus on something such as improving your mindset?
This is where real coaching gets uncomfortable. Think about this…
Not "What do I want?"
But "What am I repeatedly doing that I'm pretending not to see?"
Because repetition is what shapes identity. Period.
The Question That Makes People Squirm
If persistence builds outcomes, here's the confronting question:
Who are you becoming based on what you did this week?
Not next month when things "settle down" (they won't).
Not when you "feel ready" (you won't).
But right now, through your actual daily behaviours.
A client texted me early in 2026: "I say I want to be healthier but I've ordered unhealthy takeaway 4 nights this week."
That's not a food problem. That's a persistence problem pointed in the wrong direction.
The habit you repeat most consistently is voting for an identity. Every action is a vote. And right now, you're either voting for the person you want to be or the person you're settling for.
Which Habit Is Actually Running Your Life?
Strip away the BS and ask yourself:
What's the one thing I do most days without negotiation? (Scrolling? Complaining? Avoiding?)
What identity does that reinforce? (Distracted? Victim? Coward?)
If nothing changed, where would this habit take me in five years?
That last one usually triggers an "oh shit" moment, some people will stop reading now and quit and some will keep reading curious for more.
One executive discovered he spent 2 hours daily in "urgent" emails but zero hours on strategic thinking. Five years of that? He'd be the world's best email responder with zero career progression.
This is where discipline beats motivation every time. Motivation is what gets you to the gym in January. Discipline is what keeps you there in July.
Small Actions, Serious Compound Interest
Everyone wants the dramatic transformation story. The overnight success. The massive breakthrough. But after coaching hundreds of people, here's what actually works:
Stupidly small, boringly consistent actions.
The 10 pushups every morning (not the 2-hour workout you'll quit)
The one page of writing daily (not the novel you'll never start)
The 5-minute meditation (not the weekend retreat you'll never book)
Achievable actions win because:
They remove the "I don't have time" excuse
They build evidence that you keep promises to yourself
They compound into an identity shift
A founder I work with started with just closing his laptop at 6pm. That's it. Six months later, he's built three new habits on top of that foundation. Why? Because he proved to himself he could change.
You Don't Find Confidence. You Build It.
Every coaching program I run operates on this principle:
Behaviour first. Feelings follow. Outcomes and Goals last.
You don't "find" confidence. You build it through kept promises.
You don't "become" disciplined. You prove it through daily reps.
You don't "get" motivated. You create momentum through action.
Over time, persistence stops feeling like effort. It just becomes who you are.
That's when you know the shift is real and it’s not just another vacation from your self.
The Persistence Audit (Do This Now)
1. Write down your top 5 daily habits (be honest, include the crap ones)
2. Next to each, write what identity it's building
3. Circle the one that's helping you most
4. Cross out the one that's costing you most
5. Replace the crossed one with something stupidly small but positive
This isn't about perfection. It's about intentional and positive direction.
Never Forget This
You became who you are through persistence.
You'll become who you're meant to be the same way.
The only question is whether you'll be persistent with habits that serve you or habits that sabotage you.
Because make no mistake - you're going to be persistent at something. Might as well make it count.
Might as well make it wonderful and life changing.
Let’s go!
Book your free 30-minute exploratory call with me today and discover how the right habits can reshape your mindset and create a new life.
