DREAM CHASER – TENACITY
When the enthusiasm for a new idea fades, when the passion cools, when the odds against you increase and the results diminish, when it looks as if success is impossible, will you maintain your intensity and keep going? Are you tenacious? This is the mark of people who actually achieve their dream.
Thinking about how to pull through when all the excitement is gone? Here are some tips from the book – Put your Dream to the Test to help you with that;
Remember that every obstacle yields to a stern resolve: In plain english, every challenge responds to one’s determination to overcome.
I recently watched the movie – Hands of stone about the story of Roberto Duran, a heavy weight champion who once quit in the middle of a major fight. Notice I said quit, not lose. Whilst watching, I could already read out at least a couple of reasons why he should have quit the match;
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- He wasn’t informed of the match on time; he was literally forced to accept the fight date which was only a few months away.
- He wasn’t prepared: He had just won the title of the heavy weight champion and was celebrating; which meant drinking, eating and getting out of form and shape; which was not for a fight within a short period.
- He was physically and mentally exhausted. From having to lose weight to physically training, he was always hungry and exhausted. He couldn’t understand why he needed to starve when he was wealthier and had met his goal of winning the title (he didn’t realize that winning once was different from remaining a winner, that’s another topic for another day).
- He was not fighting because he wanted to. It wasn’t his fight – (reminds me of the ownership question – It wasn’t his dream in this context) He was fighting for everyone else but himself.
I wondered what the difference was, in him quitting and him losing which he was doing anyway. Everyone would still be disappointed. I’m still trying to get it but he eventually got it – Roberto – he found out that his decision to stop should be because of what happens within him, rather than what happens around him.
He remembered his father left because it was too difficult taking care of the family, He quit the fight because he felt the odds were against him, he did not fight till the end to find out if the tides will turn in his favor. Even playing Candy crush has taught me this (You can check it out here ), fight till the end, only then will be able to find out if you won or lost, and then if you lose, remember it’s all part of the route to success.
Other ways in which you can keep going even when you feel you can’t, as highlighted from the book are as follows;
Pay attention to what you are saying about the situation with your dream:
Instead of saying ”we don’t have the expertise” SAY ”Let’s network with those who do”
Instead of saying ”It will never get better” SAY ”We’ll try one more time”
Choose your words carefully, they can either make or break your resolve.
Practise the rule of Five: Every day, do 5 specific things that will move you closer to your dream. Of course, the results of this may not become obvious immediately but imagine doing that consistently for 2 years…
Tosan’s take: Passion alone will not ensure the success of your dream. The bigger the size of your dream, the longer you may need to persevere, so why not prepare to handle it rather than let it overwhelm you or make you quit. Lastly, remember;
Rule 1: Take one more step.
Rule 2: If you cannot take one more step, refer to rule no. 1
H. Jackson Brown
