Season 7 – epiBLOG 6:
Happy Black History Month! There are so many inspiring Black figures in American History that I couldn’t even cover them all in this one post. Nevertheless, in honor of Black History Month, let’s acknowledge all Black Americans who contribute to the progress and success of this beautiful country known as the United States of America.
Today’s topic is how to persist when you feel like quitting.
I feel like this is a very fitting topic because there is an unexplainable warrior hiding on the inside of every successful entrepreneur. A warrior that will fight for his or her dream. That warrior is either present or absent. Awakened or asleep. Alive or dead.
It was that same present, awakened, and alive warrior spirit found in Martin Luther King, Jr., Barak Obama, Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Kamala Harris, Octavia Spencer, Jackie Robinson, Colin Powel, and so many other African Americans who have achieved a level of greatness in which many of us aspire.
Having to rise above obstacles, circumstances, naysayers, and to persist in the ugly face of adversity, is an accomplishment.
It’s amazingly easy to quit at any endeavor. It doesn’t take courage to quit. It doesn’t take thinking to quit. It takes nothing because after you quit, there aren’t any plans to make or actions to take.
Nevertheless, what’s at risk when you quit is the dream that you imagined and the goals that you’ve created to materialize that dream. That’s a gigantic risk. If you’re willing to risk losing your dreams and goals over that person that says you have no talent or the obstacles that get in your way, then your dreams/goals weren’t important enough to begin with.
Like Will Smith’s character Chris Gardner said in the film The Pursuit of Happyness:* “You got a dream, you gotta protect it.” Anyone who quits on their dream, quits on themselves, and risks what may never come to fruition. Don’t quit. Protect what’s important to you.
I can’t teach you how to have that warrior inside of you. That fighter that holds your dream on a pedestal even when your feet are being knocked out from underneath you.
But you’re human. You get tired. Your feelings get hurt. You get discouraged. Compromises need to be made. People disappoint you. You make mistakes. You get angry. Things happen.
This blog post is for all those successful entrepreneurs who have the warrior inside of them, but happen to just be discouraged right now.
How to Persist through Adversity (and avoid quitting):
- Go back and read the thank you notes, emails, posts, and social media messages from clients who have extended their gratitude for the products and/or service that you provided. Kind and genuine words from clients are always motivators and reminders that what you’re doing matters.
- Go to your “happy place.” If it’s the beach, the theater, nature, painting, dancing, or even doing yoga, do what you need to do to get centered. This helps to clear your mind to remind you not to let temporary circumstances distract you from your career endeavors.
- Review your vision board daily. This will remind you of the big picture that you’re fighting for.
- Review your monthly and quarterly goals each day so that you can stay focused on the plan that you’ve created to accomplish them.
- Call or text a client to check in on them just to say hello. Let them know you care and just how much you appreciate them. Genuine appreciation goes a long way. Being kind to others seems to raise your energy levels. There’s no time to think about quitting.
- Read/listen to self and professional development books/audiobooks. This will get you into a different frame of mind in order to remain focused.
- Surround yourself with amazing people who edify you and who you can build up as well.
Today’s LESSON is to not quit in the face of a challenge.
FUN ASSIGNMENT: Pick an activity that feeds your soul and builds you up, and go do it. You can then return to being the best leader that you can be for your business.
*“Happyness” is purposely spelled this way in the movie title The Pursuit of Happyness.
Nitara Osbourne owns The Infinite Writer Agency, LLC, which provides content to producers, publishers, entrepreneurs, and sales people seeking help with developing their life stories into nonfiction books and movie scripts. Ghostwriting and editing services are provided for clients as well. If you’re an accomplished sales or business professional, and are looking to tell your story, contact Nitara Osbourne. InfiniteWriterAgency@gmail.com.
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