Webster’s Dictionary defines a noun as a person, place or thing. The same description could apply to obstacles. Anyone who has ever attempted to do anything significant knows that nothing worthwhile comes easily. We know successes courtesy of the Bill Gates and the Steve Jobs of the world; but what about their failures? We celebrate the iPhone, but…heard of the NeXT or the Lisa? (Google them.) Fifty percent of all small businesses “fail” each year. Are those really failures or lessons on the way to the top? Hmmmmm…
There’s a reason Mount Everest is littered with the lives of people who didn’t quite make it to the summit. It’s not easy. It’s not so much about talent as tenacity. You’ve got to have both if you want to realize your dreams. But resilience is the steel in your striving; the ability to recover from tough times. Here are four things to know as you develop resilience:
- Learn the difference between motivation, persistence and resilience. Motivation is feeling-based, persistence is action-based, resilience is belief-based. Sometimes you feel like taking action, sometimes you don’t. If you wait till you FEEL like taking action, you’ll surely stifle your progress. But…if you believe that things will get better, if you keep taking action even you don’t feel motivated (persistence), you’ll keep accumulating results. How motivating is that???
- Failure is not an option, “failing up” is. As quietly as it’s kept, we ALL experience defeats. It’s OK to make some mistakes. It’s OK to be flexible and change your game plan. It’s even OK to give up on one plan and adopt another. It’s NOT OK to give up.
- Celebrate small successes. Take time to smell the roses, or tulips, or whatever fragrance is under your nose. Don’t wait till you “get there” to get excited about your journey. Use your breather time to reflect on what worked, what didn’t and what’s next.
- This, too, shall pass. Sometimes our deepest disappointments are followed by some of our most surprising successes. Don’t ever treat a temporary situation like a permanent condition. Keep putting one foot in front of the other in pursuit of your dreams. You WILL eventually get there.
Remember, whatever you do, keep coming back.
Petey
Never, never, never give up. Winston Churchill
Energy and persistence conquer all things. Benjamin Franklin