What Alanna of Trebond Taught Me about Perseverance

I’ve always been kind of on the lazy side. I think it probably has to do with the fact that I was a really bright child, and picked up things very quickly (if only that had stuck with me as I aged). Unfortunately, I became way too used to this, and often fell into the trap of being way too lazy. If I wasn’t great at something right away, my first instinct was always to give up and try something else. I played eight different sports as a kid and constantly tried and discarded hobbies, looking for something I could be great at without really trying.

It wasn’t until I got a little older that I was actually able to learn a lesson from one of my favorite books: Alanna: The First Adventure, by Tamora Pierce. As the title indicates, the book follows the young Alanna of Trebond. Alanna and her twin brother switch places, and Alanna takes his spot and starts on the journey to become a knight (her brother wanted to be a sorcerer). Alanna had always been something of a tomboy, and was always more interested in fighting and weaponry than anything about being a lady. Knighthood was her dream.

However, knight training wasn’t as glamorous as she had expected, and within the first week she storms back into her rooms and tells her man-at-arms to pack up. She was ready to throw in the towel because the training was a lot more difficult than she had expected, and she wasn’t as good at it as she wanted to be at the beginning. This struck a chord with me—I had been there so many times before. After an honest talk with her man-at-arms, though, Alanna realizes how immature she had sounded. She wanted this. She wanted to be a knight. And the things that you want frequently require you to work for them.

So how do you keep yourself from throwing in the towel? Just follow these few pieces of advice—things that I learned from Alanna.

1.  Make Time for Yourself

Liz posted a great video on the importance of schedulingyour self-love, and I don’t have much to add on that front. Spending time on yourself, though, can be an important part of perseverance! It definitely can help when the going gets rough. Maybe you began a project extremely motivated, but you’ve become more discouraged as time has gone by. Take a break to do something that you love! It will prevent you from burning out.

2.  Confide in a Friend

Everyone has moments when they’re not sure that they’re on the right track, or when they’re ready to give up. At this point, it’s really helpful to talk things out. You can find out if your goals have really changed, or if you’re actually just discouraged or frustrated. It took a talk with Coram to make Alanna realize that she was just running away from her problems. She still wanted to be a knight, but she hadn’t expected it to be such a challenge. Sometimes, another perspective can help you overcome a problem.

3.  Envision the Payoff

There was a reason that you took up that hobby, started that business, or entered that program. What was it? Did you want to be able to knit your new niece a baby blanket? Do you envision having a table in a con’s Artist’s Alley? Does your dream job require a new degree? When you’re discouraged, remember these goals and remember why you started toward them in the first place.

Alanna went on to become one of the greatest knights in all Tortall—and the only female knight. Maybe your goals aren’t that lofty, but they’re always worth pursuing! So next time you find yourself becoming discouraged, do what Alanna did and follow these pieces of advice. They will help you to reach your goals!

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As a card-carrying member of the Justice League, honorary Star Fleet ensign, and a Ph.D student in political science, Amanda doesn't have much spare time on her hands. But when she does, she spends it gaming, nerdcrafting, marathoning shows on Netflix, debating Tolkien online, sewing costumes for cosplay, and writing on Geekphoria.net. Find Amanda? Twitter ★ Tumblr ★ Blog