Throughout the human history, the definition of success has evolved along with the evolution of human beings. After acquiring the most fundamental success—surviving—human beings now are striving to pursue some success which without persistence they can never achieve.

       Since the moment human beings appeared on this planet, which itself is probably the most immense success of the evolution of species, the pursuit of success has spread as quickly as the growth of population. In primitive times, success simply means surviving. Equipped with little knowledge about the outside world where ferocious animals surround them, humans are extremely vulnerable to any change, from outside and inside—for instance, chill winter and unknown diseases. Humans have to grope to gain the eventual success at the expense of the death of fellows. Those who luckily survive harsh times are successful and they are rewarded by the nature the best thing they can ever possess—healthier posterity, namely, you and I.

       With a healthier body, yet we are no longer satisfied with the success that is readily available to our ancestors when they are only an inch away from death. We have become far more ambitious as what we can reap from our success is simply beyond our ancestors’ imagination: reputation, money and love, etc. However, the more benefits bound to success, the more difficult success is to be achieved. Numerous people unfortunately fail and fall on the road to success and those who succeed finally are not the lucky fellows but the most persistent ones.

       Among all those who succeeded through their persistence, Georgia Washington was by no means lucky when he watched his army collapse after 4000 British troops stormed Manhattan by 2500 cannonballs and later on half of his soldiers either die of unbearable winter or die from small pox after he made camp in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. If he gave in or gave up, then “the first president of the United States”, one of the utmost successes in this world, would brush past him. The persistence, together with leadership, however, rewarded him not only the highest position but also a great nation of freedom.

George Washington is but a shinning star in the galaxy of human history where thousands of successful men and women whose names have become ever immortal. For all of us who desires for success, the only shortcut available is persistence. And as Emerson puts it, “No one can cheat you out of your ultimate success but yourself”, what we should do is to persist before succeed, confidently knowing that we will achieve our ultimate success, sooner or later.