Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Self-Reliance"

I've been enjoying my free Kindle edition of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s most famous essay Self-Reliance. Seth Godin's Domino Project and Ibex, a very nifty outdoorwear company, have recently teamed up to reintroduce the world to Emerson and are sponsoring a free Kindle edition. Get your free copy here.

Here's one of my favorite quotes (I've heard it many times, but never knew it came from Ralph):

That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the task itself has become easier, but that our ability to perform it has improved.

Reminds me of another quote I'm rather fond of:

Stick to your task till it sticks to you; 
Beginners are many, but enders are few. 
Honour, power, place, and praise 
Will come, in time, to the one who stays. 

Stick to your task till it sticks to you;
Bend at it, sweat at it, smile at it too; 
For out of the bend and the sweat and the smile 
Will come life's victories, after awhile. 
-Anonymous 

I refer to both of these quotes when I feel like giving up on something that is difficult and taxing, because I know that I should stick with it and persist because it will make me better.