Stick-to-it-iveness!

© Rhoberta Shaler, PhD
www.OptimizeInstitute.com

Winston Churchill said, “Never, never, never quit!”

Persius said, “He conquers who endures.”

And Ray Kroc, creator of McDonald’s, said, “Press on. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.”

Good advice. We often quit too soon. The goal is clear, the road seems straight and, at the first detour, we’re off-road! There is something compelling about detours. They allow us to see new territory and everyone knows the appeal of ‘greener pastures’. The problem is, though, that those greener pastures can pull us off the road to our chosen destination.

Another roadblock to our success is succumbing to tempting parking places. They are comfortable, easy and seemingly justifiable. That makes them very attractive. We can sit there, and sit there…and sit there.

I was working with a coaching client who had a plan, a vision, a destination of choice. She knew exactly where she wanted to get to in her business. We worked diligently on clarifying her goals, defining her target market and aligning her marketing language and materials. We were set to go…I thought.

Perhaps it was the fear of success that made her ‘parking space’ tempting. Many of us get quite fearful as we approach our goals. Once achieved, we will no longer be the person who is ‘going to’ do something. We will have done it. Two issues arise: we will need to choose another goals AND, more importantly, we may not recognize ourselves in our new role as a success. It feels a bit like planting both feet firmly in mid-air. We step off and build our wings on the way down, but it can be scary. So, let’s pull over and rest a bit, we think.

My client decided to take a vacation…on the spur of the moment. She was so close to getting where she wanted to go but she diverted herself. Sure, she had a laundry lists of good reasons for going off to Italy for a month—great fare, right time of year, working too hard, needed a break—all reasons both she and I could buy. But, if she had persisted just one more month, she would have achieved her goal, had more money, something to celebrate and a great sense of satisfaction. As it was, she returned from Italy tanned…and discouraged. The thought of pulling it all together again and building the momentum was overwhelming. I’m happy to report that by working together she did reach her goal. She was kicking herself all the way, though…while she looked longingly at those pictures of her escape to Tuscany.

“If only I had stuck with the plan…” was her complaint, “I would have been much sooner.”

How about you? Are you sticking with your plan? Staying away from detours and tempting parking places on your road to success?

What do you tell yourself when the urge to quit, stop, park or lollygag hits? Unless you remind yourself of the compelling reasons underlying your goals, you may find it easier to step off the path. Write each of your goals and the compelling reason you have for choosing it on a Post-it™ note. Put these on your calendar, your car’s visor, your computer and your bathroom mirror and anywhere else that will continuously catch your eye—a constant reminder to keep your eyes on the prize and persist.

Stick-to-it-tiveness is a function of remembering why you’ve chosen your journey. Stick to it!

People skills expert, speaker & executive coach, Dr. Rhoberta Shaler, makes it easier to talk about difficult things. Author of over a dozen insightful books & audio programs, she works with executives, entrepreneurs & employees who want to master the 'people skills' that grease the wheels of business & life—communication, negotiation, conflict & anger management, networking. Free coaching consultation. Visit www.OptimizeInstitute.com