Develop a Realistic Business Plan

One reason for burnout is incongruency between the life you want and the life you’re living. Most of that problem is due to a lack of planning.

Many small business owners think that if their business is a home business or a small business that they don’t need a real business plan. After all, they think I am not going to get a business loan, so why do I need to do all that planning?

The truth is if you want to succeed, and you want it to be repeatable, and you want to avoid the potential for burnout, you must develop a business plan. A business plan will help you structure, run, and grow your business realistically and sustainably. Plus, creating a business plan isn’t even hard to do. Let’s learn how to make a one-page business plan for your home business right now.

Your one-page business plan should include the following. However, keep in mind it doesn’t literally have to live on only one page. You should include as much information as you need in your business plan to help you develop a guiding document for your business. If one page works for you, that’s fabulous!

Describe the Problem

You’ll want to write a well thought out description of the problem that your customers have that you can solve along with any relevant data that describes how you can do that to show proof.

Your Product or Service

This is the solution to the problem above, so you’ll want to go through each product or service you offer and describe the solution in terms of how it solves the problem that the customer has. If you have more than one solution, this is the area that might end up taking more than one page. However, going through this can help you with marketing later.

How You Make Money

This is considered your business model. How will you make the money, how much will it cost you to make the money, and what is the price the customer will pay for the solution and how will they pay it?

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Describe Your Customer(s)

Understanding your target market is an essential component of your business plan and your business planning needs. Include a customer avatar through the buying journey. Talk about how many customers there are, and how much you can earn from each customer throughout their customer life cycle.

Describe How You’re Different

It can help to describe how you’re going to differentiate yourself from your competition. This is called your “competitive advantage” in business. It’s how you use your differences to stand out from the competition and create customer loyalty.

Describe Your Team

Even if it’s just you, it helps to write down all the tasks and roles that need to be accomplished to make this business work. However, even if it is just you, it’s not just you due to the technology you can use, such as email marketing software, funnel software, and other automation.

Also, if you plan to outsource anything, write that down too. Maybe the first year you’re doing it all yourself but include financial metrics that trigger outsourcing or major software purchases.

Include Key Financial Metrics

Do you Know your Numbers?

You need to know what your budget is for marketing, software, outsourcing, and so forth. This is often called a Financial Summary in a business plan. You’ll want to include figures for now, and your future as you forecast potential sales. Finally, you’ll want to add what funding you need right now to get started or to move forward with your business.

As you go through this, just focus right now on writing a summary of each section so that you see what needs to be done in one easy to read page. As you move forward, you can add more information to the plan, which may make it grow past the one page, but it will be a helpful exercise to help keep on moving toward your goals.

As you move toward your goals, you’ll be a lot less likely to experience burnout when you’ve set up your business realistically in balance with your entire life. Writing down the business plan helps you see it more clearly and plainly, thus allowing you to really accomplish what you set out to do rather than keeping it as a dream.

October 7, 2020December 20, 2020

Block Burnout: Develop SMART Goals

The truth is that burnout often happens when you haven’t done the work to match your personality with your business, and you end up disillusioned by still hating your work even when you’re running your own business.

Maybe you thought that you didn’t like your work as an accountant due to working for a corporation, but now that you have your own business, you’re discovering how much you dislike the work in general, even if you’re on your own. Discovering something like this can be a real roadblock for many.

However, most of the problems mentioned above can actually be solved in advance through good planning. Planning starts with understanding what you want from life and business and being able to develop goals that turn into plans that turn into actions that result in the lifestyle and business you really wanted.

To stop burnout in its tracks learn the right way to develop your goals. The very best way to create goals is to learn the SMART goal technique. The reason setting SMART goals works so well is that it automatically creates actions that you put into your schedule that will provide the results you want.

To develop S.M.A.R.T. Goals, look to the meaning of the acronym.

Specific – The goal needs to be small, simple, sensible, and significant too.

Ask yourself what you really want to accomplish with your business or your life. You may have relationship goals, exercise goals, diet goals, and business and lifestyle goals that you want to achieve.

Know precisely why it’s essential for you to achieve this goal. When you think about doing the steps to attain this goal, who will help you, which resources will you use, or do you have limits there? It may also help you to identify where the actions will take place.

Measurable – A good goal is also meaningful and in and of itself motivating.

Without a metric to track, it’ll be impossible for you to know whether you have succeeded in reaching your goals or not. Therefore, always attach a number to the goal, such as how much, how many, and what metric identifies that you’ve accomplished the task or goal that you’re trying to reach.

For example, if you have a goal of adding 1,000 new subscribers each month to your email list that lets you know if you’ve made it or not. Likewise, if you have your own bookkeeping business, you might set a goal to have five new clients within a specific time period.

Achievable – In addition to being even achievable or attainable at all, it should be something agreeable to you.

When you set a goal, it does nothing for you or anyone else to set goals that are totally impossible even to do. For example, if you don’t have use of your legs and you’re in a wheelchair you cannot run a marathon in the normal way, that’s okay, but don’t make it a goal when it’s impossible.

Instead, find ways to make goals that are possible so that you have a chance to achieve them. It’s okay if it’s challenging, and you fear you’ll fall short, but it’s not helpful to make a goal that can’t be achieved at all. Not only that, if it’s not even something you want to do, why even make it a goal? If you don’t like running, and never will, don’t make it a goal to run a marathon in the first place, find something else you like instead.

You need to know how you can accomplish the goal, and what the potential constraints are so that you can ensure you have the right tools, resources, and assistance as required to accomplish the goal.

Relevant – All goals, of course, need to have something to do with the ultimate thing you’re trying to accomplish, but they should also be reasonable, and results-based. Not to mention if you don’t have the resources to do it, you’ll need to ensure you do because otherwise, it’s not realistic.

If a goal you make is not worthwhile or it’s the wrong time, and it doesn’t match your other needs, it’s not relevant. If you’re not the right person or your company is not right, it’s not relevant. If you don’t have the funds to support this goal right now, it’s not relevant (or realistic), and that’s okay. Focus on something else.

For example, perhaps you want to upgrade to a more expensive membership or funnel software that costs a grand a month, but you’re not earning a grand a month yet. It’s okay to put that idea on the back burner and use something else for now.

Time-Bound – You have to set up each goal with a deadline for achieving it because if you don’t set a time limit or make sure the goal is timely, it might not even matter if you achieve it.

If you don’t set a time or goal target date, it’s going to be hard to accomplish in a timely manner. One reason is that Parkinson’s law says that “work expands to fit the time available for its completion” and that applies to this idea of setting time limits and due dates for yourself for the work you’re doing to reach your goals.

If you know when and then follow that up with tasks each day that ends up with that final due date or time you set, you’ll achieve a lot more.

For example, if you need to finish a 40,000-word eBook, you need to set a deadline so that you know how much work you want to devote each day toward completion. If the due date is 40 days from now, make a list of all the actions that need to be taken to have a finished eBook on that due date. Some items on the list might include outlining, researching, writing, editing, designing, and so forth. Enter each activity into your calendar so that it happens in time to move on to the next thing.

It’s the only way you can be sure you’ll get finished even close to the time because human nature will cause you to stretch out the time indefinitely. It’s hard to run a life or a business that way.

As you see, setting SMART goals is the best technique for helping you achieve your goals. When you are actually doing what you want to do and achieving the goals you set, you’re going to be a lot less likely to experience burnout.

Setting Goals and having written down is essential to having success in your Freedom Lifestyle.

Make your Goals Real: Write them down and take Daily consistent Action

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October 6, 2020December 20, 2020

Stop Burnout Now: Overview of the 30 Day Avoiding and Overcoming Burnout Challenge

During this Series, some of the ideas you have about business, life, and productivity will be seriously challenged. However, what you’re going to get out of this series is how to recognize the signs of burnout, know how to avoid burnout, and if you’ve let it go too far, how to overcome burnout.

Burnout is a problem that entrepreneurs sometimes develop. The following symptoms characterize that problem:

Exhaustion – Do you feel tired no matter how much you sleep? It’s not just tiredness; it’s not able to get up at all.
Fatigue – Are you tired whenever you get stressed out about something?
Lack of Energy – Do you notice that you lack the energy you had previously when completing specific tasks?
Sleep Issues – Do you have trouble falling asleep, or are you sleeping more or less than usual. Adult humans need from 7 to 9 hours of sleep each evening for optimum performance.
Poor Performance – When you are doing your work or doing tasks for your family, you aren’t doing them correctly and are making more mistakes than usual.
Memory Issues – You’re late for appointments or miss meetings or just cannot remember your thoughts as you speak.
Problems Focusing and Concentrating – If you have circular thoughts in your head, it can affect sleep but also affect your daily life keeping you from focusing on one thing at a time.
Indifference – You’re starting to feel as if you really don’t care about anything, whether business, family, friends, or fun. You don’t really get anything out of anything now.
Disillusionment – You don’t think anything you thought was true is true now, and it’s causing you problems with getting joy out of your chosen business.
Restlessness – You keep looking up something new instead of focusing on your business choice.
Loss of Empathy – You notice that you aren’t able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes right now due to your own issues overshadowing everyone else.
Cynicism and Bitterness – You feel downright bitter about the situation, and you can’t overcome it because you think nothing can change, including you.
Relationship Issues – What is happening in your business can also affect your home life and vice versa. If your friendships and family relationships are being affected, it’s time to get some control over it.
Less Initiative – You just can’t be bothered to do anything because it’s just too hard, and you don’t come up with any new ideas.
Lower Imagination – It’s hard to imagine anything because you can’t focus, you’re tired, and your mind won’t relax enough.
Poor Health – Burnout can affect your physical health as well as your mental health and sometimes even be due to your physical health and poor nutrition.
Heightened Anxiety – When you are experiencing burnout, sometimes you’ll also feel very anxious whenever the subject of work or the thing causing the issues comes up.
Depression – Burnout can be either caused by a severe major depressive episode or produce one. If you feel depressed or find yourself idealizing death, please seek professional medical care.

You may also feel as if you are the only person who can do anything to solve the problems that have developed. You tend to make it your job to do everything as if you’re indispensable, and due to that feeling, you never have enough time, resources, or ability to do everything needed.

You may feel like you cannot say no, and due to that work for free, or feel resentment about the work you are doing due to the lack of recognition you’re getting. These are all actually normal feelings if you don’t set up your life to recognize and avoid burnout and treat it if you should experience it.

While true burnout may need professional treatment, you can do a lot to help yourself, including seeking professional intervention if everything else you’re trying is not working for you.

During this series you will get 30 Blog post focusing on how to keep your mind healthy and able to better focus in life and in your Business.

October 4, 2020December 20, 2020

Five Steps to Reviving A Fading Dream

Do you remember what you wanted to be growing up?

Many people forget their once cherished dreams because of bad things that have happened from the time they realized their dream of becoming such and such to where they currently are.

Growing up, you may have wanted to be an Astronaut only to end up with a completely different profession due to unfavorable conditions or a series of misfortunes along the way.

If you are wondering whether reviving a fading dream is possible, I need you to know that it is.

You can begin chasing your long-lost dream, bring it to life, and start living the life you have always wanted no matter where you are, what you have accomplished, how many times you have failed, or how old you are.

You just have to believe you can do it and begin taking the necessary steps that will get you a step closer to your dream every single day.

Top 5 Ways Of Reviving Your Fading Dream And Making It Work.

Write down your vision.

Every professional worth her salt knows that keeping a journal of the most important things you intend to achieve is a smart way of moving forward.

Writing down your fading dream is going to give you a clearer image of where you desire to be and it will make you realize that fulfilling your dream is still possible.

Writing things down is a smart way of reducing a seemingly huge and impossible task into a much more sizable and doable undertaking. It is a brilliant way of reviving a dying dream.

Find out what needs to be done to bring it to life.

After writing down your dream as a way of reminding yourself of what you once desired, start finding out what you need to do to bring it to life. Identify the main things that you need to begin paying more attention to.

For example, “Do you have to change your schedule?” “Do you need to take a short course?” etc. Once you realize what needs to get done or changed, go ahead and implement the change.

Take small essential steps.

A lot of people haven’t gathered enough courage to renew their vanishing dreams because they fear things may not turn out the way they are expecting.

You may be thinking of changing careers but you are afraid that resigning from your job may not be the smart move at the moment.

The good thing about revisiting your vision is that you don’t have to quit your job. You can begin working on your dream while continuing with your occupation.

The only thing that matters is that you allocate at least an hour a day to reviving your dream and always take small but significant steps.

Let that sink in for a minute. Even small steps can move you closer to your Goal. Keep Moving Forward.

Take calculated risks.

Taking risks isn’t something that many people are comfortable with mostly because not all risks turn out the way they are expected.

However, the most noteworthy academics and business magnets had to take risks at some point in their lives and some of the risks they took turned them into the experts they are today.

Know that there is nothing wrong with taking risks.

You just have to make sure you make a careful estimation of the outcome that is most likely to occur.

Once you have concluded that you have more to gain from making that choice, go ahead and take the risk. It may turn out to be just what you need to begin living your dream life.

A perfect example of someone who took an unusual risk is Steve Jobs who sold his Volkswagen bus to raise $1, 500 in capital to start his tech company Apple Inc. Steeve Job’s shares had a net worth of over $10 billion at the time of his death!

Be persistent.

The most effective way of renewing your fading dream and making it work is by being persistent.

As you continue to bring your vision to life, you will experience feelings of insufficiency and doubt but don’t give up.

Keep moving and stick it out until your long-cherished dream becomes a reality.

September 29, 2020December 20, 2020

Managing Your Mental State (When Times Are Tough) or (Through Adversity)

Managing your mental state is an ongoing and complex job.

There are so many things that can negatively affect us daily.

Ranging from small inconveniences to larger, more involved problems. Our state of mind is a compilation of our past, present and future thoughts and feelings.

When times are tough, whatever the reasons may be, managing your mental state is more important than ever.

Self-awareness is first when it comes to managing mental state.

When you understand how you feel, where those feelings are coming from and why you have those particular feelings, then can you begin to manage your mental state.

This is much easier said than done for most people and that’s perfectly normal.

A counselor or psychologist may be able to help you understand your feelings more in-depth.

Talking with someone objective to help put your feelings in perspective is extremely beneficial as well. Once you identify why you feel a certain way, you can begin to understand your feelings and manage them in a positive way.

Mindfully breathing is a powerful calming tool. Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth will slow heart rate and curb anxiousness. Moreover, meditation will aid in clarity of mind.

Fifteen minutes per day to sit in silence and clear your head does wonders for your mental state.

Positive affirmations also enhance one’s state of mind. Positive affirmations are positive phrases you repeat to yourself daily. Try talking to yourself in the mirror in the morning.

Tell yourself things like, “I am confident.” or “I am relaxed and at peace.”

These positive affirmations will sink into your subconscious mind. Over time, you will start to believe the positive statements you have repeated to yourself. You can change your cognitive patterns away from negative thinking.

Turn Negative self talk into More Productive Energy

Don’t give in to the quick fix of self medication. Using alcohol or drugs is not uncommon when people want to make themselves feel better.

But when faced with adversity, adding mind altering substances will enhance negative feelings. Stay sharp and in tune with yourself. So that you are able to be positive and consciously manage your feelings.

Staying on top of your mental health is not an easy task. When faced with challenges throughout life, remember there are tools that can be utilized. Actively managing your mental state will result in a more self aware, calm and happier you.

September 26, 2020December 20, 2020

Becoming More Mindful By Slowing Down on Immediate Gratification

Immediate gratification is defined as the desire to experience fulfillment without delay.

In today’s world, it’s more attainable than ever.

Some common instances of how some people allow themselves immediate gratification are with food, shopping and entertainment.

It’s human nature to want something good and not want to wait for it. But, there’s such a thing as too much of a good thing.

Being conscious of how much immediate gratification we allow ourselves and then slowing down on it has some perks.

If we take the time to ask ourselves what we really need and want and if we’re willing to wait for it, we can become more mindful and productive.

Overconsumption of food, as well as the type of food Americans tend to reach for is a common topic in the US.

Almost all of us are guilty of it. After a long day at work or taking care of our kids, it’s often easier to stop at the fast food drive thru for dinner.

But, just as well known as these facts are, it’s as well known that fast food type foods aren’t good for us.

Instead of the immediate gratification of the easy meal, we can make the mindful decision to choose our health.

All it will take is a little planning ahead to have a healthy and satisfied meal already prepared at home.

By consciously choosing to not give in to the immediate gratification some foods provide, we will be healthier.

Shopping is another way people achieve immediate gratification.

It feels good to buy something that we want, or that is a good deal.

With the boom of online shopping it’s as easy as a click away. Do we really need all of these “things”?

Simply being mindful of spending habits can help save money. Financial stability is more important than the “next new thing”.

Entertainment is immediate too. Almost everyone has a smartphone. The internet is at our fingertips at all times. I

t’s not uncommon for people to be on their phones constantly checking social media sites or playing on gaming apps.

If we are able to put the phones and computers down and actively engage, we will build stronger, more meaningful, productive relationships.

By being mindful of our urges for immediate gratification, we can curb them. We can take a front seat in decisions that affect our lives. Immediate gratification is so easy, especially in this day and age.

But, easy is not always best in the long run.

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September 22, 2020December 20, 2020

Changing Your Mindset: Attitude is Everything

Keeping a positive outlook can be a struggle during times of uncertainty and understandably so.

It’s easy to feel surrounded by doom and gloom when you’re virtually sequestered.

Making things even more difficult is the constant flood of information coming from the news and social media sites. It’s important to take your mental health seriously, and mindset seems to be the key.

There are two camps out there when it comes to mindset during challenging times. Some people are able to focus on the positives, while others seem to be more challenged to keep a productive, positive mentality.

This “new normal” that we’re facing comes along with all sorts of new ways of living.

Attitude can really be everything when it comes to a healthy mindset.

We are asked to change our behavior and how we interact with others. This can feel isolating. But, what about thinking of it as an opportunity to spend much needed quality time with your immediate family.

Maybe you find yourself unexpectedly out of work and home with the kids. You could give in to the worry and let it stress you out. Or you can use this extra time spent with children and bring the family closer.

Try making it a fun experience to remember! Not all learning is done in the classroom or behind a computer screen.

How about taking the kids outside for a nature walk to collect leaves or flowers and then label them. Or, try a homemade weather station, where they measure and record the daily temperature, rainfall and humidity. There are plenty of resources out there for fun, active learning ideas.

Another way to keep positive is to try and unplug. It’s necessary to take a conscious step back from the tv or computer screen.

Try not to let yourself be inundated with negative news 24/7. Remember, there are still good things happening in the world. Maybe search for some funny cat videos to watch, or Facetime with friends and family.

Do something to make yourself smile.

Sometimes something as small as what you’re wearing can make all the difference in how you feel. Even if you’re working from home now, getting up and getting dressed as if you were headed to the office, may give that needed mood boost and positive motivation. Achieving a positive outlook can be as simple as daily positive affirmations. Find what works best for you.

Giving yourself a mood-makeover is something we can all do to help ourselves stay focused on the positives during this time of uncertainty. Remember, no one is perfect. So, if you feel yourself starting to slip into negative thinking patterns, try making a conscious effort to rearrange your mindset. A positive attitude can go a long way!

September 21, 2020August 17, 2021

Perseverance Requires Persistence

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” The slogan ‘’press on!’’ has solved and will always solve the problems of the human race.

Don’t Give Up….Keep moving Forward Daily.

These words which were said by Calvin Coolidge who was the 30^th president of the United States to me are the most realistic description of what persistence entails, its importance in the lives of each of us.

Persistence is defined as the act of not giving up, and having a firm and obstinate continuance in a course of action you have decided upon despite difficulties. I would go on and define it as one of the fundamental building blocks to a firm and anchored foundation to success. Nothing entails more success than to keep hammering on that idea that you chose to put into action, to keep investing all your efforts and time into one particular plan that you are working on until you get the desired results.

Consistency forms a large part persistence as it is the action of redoing. The other building block that brings our persistence into being is self-discipline. The fuel behind consistency is self-discipline. As humans, we are automatically drawn to take the easier path, therefore when anything becomes less enjoyable our instinct is to quit. When barriers and huddles are presenting themselves before us, we pick the easy road. Self-discipline reprograms our mind to be consistent and to keep soldiering on in the face of adversity. It makes us persistent.

Perseverance and persistence, are words that resemble each other in character and depth. They are often used interchangeably but there sure is a thin line that separates them. Perseverance means to abide strictly by something, to be immovable, and unshaken. Persistence is tenacity, the strength to hold on even when it is unbearable.

Perseverance is acting upon a choice until it becomes a lifestyle, you look past instant gratification and rewards and keep going even when everything around you is shouting otherwise until you reach your goal. It becomes the fundamental differentiating factor between being successful in your endeavors and failing. Even in the face of failure, the more you persist the better the chances you will have of winning because in the process you are learning all you did wrong and you get more insight on what you should be doing right.

We cannot call it persistence if we just continue doing what we like doing, being in our comfort zone, and facing no trials whatsoever. Perseverance only comes where challenges are involved, that means pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and developing a resilience mindset.

For perseverance and persistence to be part of you, you need to take your time to work on it. Take your time to figure out what you want, give yourself a time limit, and refuse to back down until you realize your goal. Take a leap, and get to it without allowing the fear of failure to paralyze you. After taking a step towards your goal make sure you surround yourself with things and people that boost your confidence and strength. When you encounter challenges along the way and they knock you down, give yourself time to analyze and reevaluate where you went wrong and then get back to your feet.

To make it easier to tackle mishaps and challenges prepare yourself for them beforehand, anticipate potential setbacks in your plan, and find a way to counter them in advance. Through it all, you have to remain focused on the goals to be accomplished and on the reward it will all come with. A well- visualized goal fueled with enough passion, perseverance, and persistence, brings about inevitable success.

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September 14, 2020December 20, 2020

Make it Real. Write it down and take Action

Why You Have To Write Your Business Goals Down

Throughout this short little series on setting business goals, I’ve mentioned the importance of writing said goals down. That isn’t just because it’s easy to forget. There’s a lot more to it and there are some very important reasons why you have to write them down.

I thought in today’s blog post, I’d share my thoughts on this and hopefully inspire you to write down your own goals going forward. By the way, this works for any type of goal, not just the business ones.

The simple act of setting a goal, even if it’s just in your mind, doubles your chances of success. That’s a pretty big deal in itself, isn’t it? If you take it a step further, and actually write those goals down, you’re 10 times as likely to succeed. Read that last line again please.

That’s right…you can increase your chances of making it by 1,000%. That’s mind-blowing.

There are a few different mental and psychological processes going on here that start to give us a glimpse into why it is so important and effective to write our goals down.

The first is that it’s a lot easier to remember something that we’ve written down. You’ve experienced this first hand with your grocery list.

When you make a mental list of 10 or 15 things, you’re likely to forget about half of them when you get to the store. If you write out the list on the other hand, and then end up forgetting it on the counter, you will remember the vast majority of the items you needed.

This is explained through the fact that information has to be moved from one area of the brain to another to turn it from thoughts into written words on a page. A process called encoding is also involved. All of this helps you retain and store the information better. It’s the reason we’re asked to take notes during lectures in college.

Last but not least, when you write down your goals, you have something you can review regularly. This adds another layer of cognitive processing and increases your chances of success even further.

Sadly, only a very small percentage of people make the time to regularly review and evaluate their goals.

The ones that do are some of the most successful and highest achieving people out there. In other words, it’s something we should do as well.

To recap, start by setting smart goals. Write them down in as much detail as possible. Set aside some time to review them regularly. This could be weekly, or even daily.

Give it a try for this coming quarter. Set yourself a goal. Be specific. This could be something like finally creating that first paid product or adding an extra $500 to your bottom line.

Decide by when you’ll reach your goal and how you plan to get there. Write it all down and look at it every morning. This will help you stay on track and make time in your busy day to work on making progress towards your goal.

September 1, 2020December 20, 2020

Never Quit: Go After Your Breakthrough

To succeed you might have to fail without giving in to the temptation to quit. Have the courage to go after what you want, regardless of the many times you will miss the mark. Seeing your dream come true will bring fulfillment in ways that will overshadow any failure you encounter. Giving up will only bring a lifetime of regrets. So instead of quitting when the going gets tough, push forward and claim your victory.

The myths around failure.

When people commit to their dream, the expectation is that passion coupled with excellent planning will prevent failure. The truth, however, is nothing worth pursuing is that predictable. Many unforeseen circumstances can still cut your legs from under you, even with all the glorious plans. You could expect setbacks and still be ill-prepared to handle them. Certain things might catch you off-guard. You need to accept that reality if you are to build resilience in the face of adversity.

At ten, doctors diagnosed Kieran Behan, a young boy with a dream to become an Olympic gymnast with a cancerous tumor on his thigh. The doctors decided on an operation to remove the tumor, but it went so bad that he suffered nerve damage. He received the news that he would never walk again. With great determination, Kieran started his journey of recovery. After fifteen months in a wheelchair, he found his way back to the gym, only to slip from a top bar a few months later. He sustained a head injury that took him out of school for a year. His determination to become a professional gymnast saw him retraining his brain to get his co-ordination back. Years later, he persisted and qualified for the European Championships. Unfortunately, the strain he had put on himself had caused several fractures and a blown knee. The youthful man was ready to give in until he remembered his goal. He pushed himself past the pain to become the Challenge World Cup floor champion in 2011. He realized his dream of competing at the Olympics when he qualified as a contender in 2012. Though he never won the gold medal, the young man’s resilience brought him where the doctors had never envisioned he could ever go after facing all the physical trauma and pain.

Failure does not always mean that you should rethink the vision. Sometimes, it means your methods did not work the way you thought they would. It could be the right indicator towards a better way of tackling the work ahead. Do not quit because you failed once. Instead, give yourself room to fail a few more times before throwing in the towel. Somewhere along the way lies victory. Don’t miss it just because you encounter a few stumbling blocks.

How to stay motivated when quitting seems easier.

Remind yourself why you started.

Remember the excitement you developed upon discovering your passion? Everything seemed so possible, so within reach until you encountered the first few hurdles that showed you it would not be a walk in the park. When you doubt yourself and your ability to perform well in your endeavors, take time to remind yourself why you chose that dream. Remind yourself of the strides made so far and how those achievements validated your pursuit. Remind yourself of how it felt to see things falling into place and it will encourage you to jump right back into it.

Keep your eyes on the prize.

Many people lose sight of the bigger picture when things take a sticky turn. This loss of focus is dangerous as it amplifies failures. It becomes easier to compare your progress with your peers, and comparison seldom yields any good. Keeping the end goal within your sights will help the vision seem closer and more attainable. Visualize the feeling of contentment you will get once the rewards come through and it will motivate you to pull through towards your victory.

Take the road less traveled.

Successful people are often risk-takers. They will do what no one else is comfortable doing. Whatever seems daunting to the ordinary person is fodder for a winning mindset. While it is important to plan, one can easily quit at the planning stage because they feel they are not up to the task. If you are going to win, you will need to perfect the art of leaping into tough tasks before you are ready. Do not allow room for stagnancy. It only brings a greater level of discomfort and disappointment in the event of setbacks. Always stretch yourself to build resilience for adverse seasons. Set a few challenging goals that will shake off complacency and gear you up for tough times.

When it’s overwhelming, ask for help.

No man is an island. Whilst it is ideal to pursue your passion alone, dreams are better achieved with the help of others. Surround yourself with a healthy support system. The kind that does not clip your freedom to try things and that is available to help build your confidence back up when things are not going your way. Find people who can provide a safe space in which you can discuss your fears with no fear of judgment or ridicule. Reach out to people who have gone ahead of you and find out how they stayed the course when faced with challenges of their own.

When quitting is tempting, look at yourself in the mirror and repeat “I will not quit until I am living the life I dream of!”