Have you noticed that some people will quit what they’re doing at the slightest sign of an obstacle or setback? They get disillusioned, discouraged or frustrated and will let go of their biggest dreams or goals because things just seem too difficult or demanding.
Yet, there are those who never give up and who will persevere through the most challenging of circumstances. What enables them to do that — and which are you?
Here are some keys to keep you from becoming a quitter:
1. Everything is a learning opportunity. If something doesn’t work, something else might.
2. Obstacles are usually temporary, especially when you keep trying different paths and step out of your comfort zone. It is behaviors within your comfort zone that cause you to do the same thing over and over again, hoping for different results.
3. Try not to generalize too much about your failures. Therefore, if you are overweight, don’t declare the cause as only genetic, because that makes it more permanent. Instead, recognize that it is partly genetic and partly lifestyle, so it become easier to move ahead.
4. Stop second guessing yourself, by creating more doubt and insecurity than necessary. When things don’t look like they’re working, a shift in your attitude could change the whole direction of the situation.
5. Avoid using words like “I’m a failure” and acknowledge that sometimes things don’t go as expected, but it doesn’t mean that you failed. Instead say, “Sometimes I don’t succeed, because I haven’t found the right path, yet. But I will.”
It’s more about what you tell yourself than what is really happening. Think about how you mentally process the events in your life, especially when things don’t go well, and you will identify a key factor in whether or not you will be driven to continue moving forward or to succumb to giving up. So, the next time you hit a “brick wall”, you can explain it as a temporary setback and continue on your journey toward success.
