Feel Like Giving Up? Don?t.

August 3, 2015

Leadership

If there is one thing I have learned in leadership, it is this: Don?t give up.

And if there is one thing?I have learned to not give up on, it is: Yourself.

The most dangerous aspect of giving up is slipping into a place of?resignation?without even realizing it.??In this article, I will share eight signs that indicate we?may have already given up and five actions we can take immediately to launch?ourselves back into the fight.

Dale Carnegie, the esteemed American thinker and writer made?this powerful observation:

[blockquote text=’Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all. ~Dale Carnegie’ text_color=’#ffffff’ width=’95’ line_height=’undefined’ background_color=’#000000′ border_color=’#dba400′ show_quote_icon=’yes’ quote_icon_color=’#dba400′]

I want to speak today not about the areas that seem?difficult, but about the areas that seem?hopeless.?As I said above, we are in a dangerous place when we slowly succumb to defeat. It subtly creeps in. It infiltrates our thoughts so insidiously that we become accustomed to it. So, let’s examine the signs that we may have already started giving up partially or completely.

8 Signs You Have Already Given Up

It could be personal or professional in nature; it could be a battle you have fought for years; a habit that has overtaken you. It may be a personal relationship or health issue you are facing. Let’s pause?momentarily to?take stock of our life. Identify what you may have given up on in your life by examining these eight patterns:

[unordered_list style=’number’ number_type=’circle_number’ animate=’no’ font_weight=’regular’]

You have stopped trying. If you have stopped persevering, or you are going through the motions, you have given up.
You have stopped dreaming. If you have stopped dreaming of?bigger goals and destinations, you have given up.
You have stopped risking. If you have stopped putting yourself?on the line, you have given up.
You have stopped experimenting. If you have stopped experimenting with how to resolve issues, you have given up.
You have stopped growing. If you have stopped trying to grow and learn in the area in which you struggle, you have given up.
You have stopped strategizing. If you have stopped strategizing and navigating the issues, you have given up.
You have stopped talking about it. If you have begun ignoring the issues all together, you have given up.?
You have stopped thinking about it. If you don?t even want to think about the issues any more, you have given up.

[/unordered_list]

After repeated set backs, we usually want to avoid any more?issues. It hurts. But don’t give up.

5 Ways to Get Back Into the Fight

If you have discovered one or more areas in which you have given up, consider intentionally applying these five steps to launch??yourself back into the fight.

[unordered_list style=’number’ number_type=’circle_number’ animate=’no’ font_weight=’regular’]

Pray for strength. As a person of faith, I recognize my finite ability, and call out to God to strengthen me.
Don?t quit. Keep fighting. Despite?failure, commit to stay with it.
Step back. And re-strategize. Fighting without learning from your failures is likely to hold you?back from?resolution. Pause to see what?s working and what’s not.
Seek growth. When you recognize what?s not working for you, seek to learn more in that area so you can grow through the challenges.
Repeat. In order to defeat the temptation to give up, we must persevere. And that means we must keep doing whatever it takes to strengthen ourselves over and over again.

[/unordered_list]

Next Step: Identify the areas you may have given up. Write them down. Now, pray, fight, re-strategize, and grow through them. Then keep at it until you push through.

Your friend,