Imagine this:

You use the drive-through service of a fast-food restaurant or coffee shop.  You drive up to the order station with the menu.  You choose what you want from the menu. 

The person on the other end of the intercom takes your order.  Then you drive around to the window.  Sometimes you have to wait a bit to get to the window, and even after you’re there, it may take a few minutes.

You expect to pay for your order – you do something to “earn” it, either provide a coupon, cash, or credit card.  And then you expect to receive it.

Do  you climb through the window, get the food out and cook it for yourself?  Or do you expect it to be served as you have ordered it?

Herein lies the metaphor for understanding persistence versus allowing.

Persistence means doing the things that need to be done.  The order must be placed.  The order must be earned – although it could be through a coupon that was received as a gift.  You must “make yourself ready” to receive by driving up to the delivery window.  The rest happens by simply allowing.  It does not require that you do every step to create the order.  The order will be filled by unseen means, in a reasonably short time.

— Paul McKinley