Perseverance is essential in zen practice; no one progresses without an effort of will. But the more we seek to hasten spiritual growth, the slower we proceed. Too much focus on where we want to be removes the focus from where we are. Just persevere right now. If you are doing all you can, that's all you can do. Perseverance begets patience; patience begets calm.
— Philip Toshio Sudo, Zen Computer