Tag: perseverance

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motivation

Why it Never Makes Sense to Give Up

Soccer stadium

American football tackleWe turned off the TV at the half. We would have loved to watch it until the end, but we had church tomorrow and the boss needs to be in the children’s area bright and early.

Ohio State hadn’t scored until the the final minutes of the first half. Then Wisconsin scored again. It was 7-21 in favor of the Wisconsin Badgers when we shut off the TV. It looked like the Buckeye’s fate was sealed.

But when we woke up this morning, we discovered that wasn’t the case. The Buckeyes came back and won 34-21. They didn’t let the Badgers score in the second half and the offense made a major push.

Ohio State could have given up at halftime.

  • They could have said this was a bad day and accept fate
  • They could have convinced themselves Wisconsin was the better team last night
  • They could have let the score determine their outcome. After all, Ohio State was shutout. They couldn’t score in the first half until the final minutes.

But the coaches and team must have had other ideas. They regrouped and played a totally different game in the second half. That is the mark of true winners.

It may appear to make sense to give up.

  • Things are stacked against us
  • We can’t seem to score, let alone win
  • That business seems destined to fail
  • It may appear your health will never improve so why bother?
  • It may seem you can never make enough to pay your bills.

But it never makes sense to give up! As long as you are in the game, you can readjust, you can plan for the future. You can thank God for what you have, where you are and where you are going.

  • Always strive
  • Always persevere
  • Always keep in the game
  • Never give up!
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motivation

Stay in the Game!

Cartoon of a jogging couple

I’ve been reading Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt.

In the book, he tells the story of the runner, Heather Kampf. In 2008, she won a race after falling to the ground in a 600-meter dash. She could have given up. Instead, she picked herself back up and ended up winning the race.

She had a setback. Setbacks happen. If they don’t happen to you, you are probably playing it safe and not living up to your potential.

When I was active in magazine cartooning, I knew the odds were good that it would take about 120 cartoons submitted to different magazines before I sold one. There was a .8% chance a cartoon would sell. But I knew I needed to create and submit the other 119 cartoons in order to sell the one.

I knew rejection would come. But I also knew if I held out, a sale would come too. Whatever your goal, stay in the game. Know there will be setbacks and rejections. Those who stay in the game get to reap the rewards.

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motivation

Disappointments and Experiences

Cartoon of a mom and two boys

Every one of us go through hard times. It doesn’t matter how rich or poor you are, famous or obscure, talented, or believe you have nothing to offer the world. Every one of us go through situations we’d rather not endure. When those times come, how do you view them?

Some name it disappointment and become poorer, others name it experience and become richer.

Siegmund Warburg

You can see the hard times as a great teacher or a harsh punisher. They can be the secret to your success or the excuse for continued failures. Two people can go through the same situation and react in opposite ways.

Whatever you are going through today, ask yourself:

  • What can I learn from this?
  • What does this make possible?
  • What will it look like in the future when I have overcome this?

May today’s double trouble be your double portion of success in the future.

Cartoon of a mom and two boys
Categories
motivation

How to Succeed by Disappointing Someone

Cartoon of a man pointing his finger at a cat. He says, "Why must your species be so perfidious?" When is saw this on the word of the day for dictionary.com, I thought of cats. Not my cat, mind you. But everyone has seen a deceitful, treacherous cat. Thank heavens my cat thinks he's a dog.

Over the years, I have owned cats and dogs. Dogs can be easier to handle because all they want to do is please their owner. However, I have admired cats over the years because of their determination. If they want to climb the drapes, they are going to do it, by golly! If you don’t want a cat on the table, just watch them try to get up there. They’ll find a creative way to sneak up there. Dogs are people pleasers. But cats are goal-setters.

There are times when we need to do both. However, if you have a goal that is going to ruffle some feathers, you will disappoint someone. Some people don’t like change no matter how beneficial it could be. Others are simply not going to see things your way.

In order to make effective change, you are going to disappoint someone. There is no need to be perfidious, but there will be a need to hold your ground when you have a goal or initiative that will bring great results in the long run.

Be like a dog when you need to be friendly and social. Be like a cat when you have a goal that you know must be attained.

Categories
motivation

How to Be Authentic Without Whining

Cartoon of a runner shouting, "Just keep running!"
Copyright ©2017 Kevin Spear

We all go through stuff. We all struggle once in a while. When we do, the temptation is to put on the facade and smile. We say we’re fine when we feel like we’re dying inside. We don’t want to burden people with our problems.

As a result, we may project this image of being a super person when we struggle just like everyone else. Then when someone else has a problem, they feel they can’t come to us because we appear too perfect.

Yet no one wants to stay in the struggle, right? No one wants to announce to the world they are a hot mess. What is the right balance?

Be authentic with your weaknesses and diligent in your training.

Be Authentic

It’s okay to admit you struggle with something. Every one of us has a weakness. Each one of us is in the process of improving. It’s okay to admit you don’t have it all together. We are all human. It’s okay to admit that is the case.

Train Diligently

Keep training. Just because you’ve had a setback doesn’t mean it’s hopeless. Press on! Give yourself some grace and get back into the training. When you admit you struggle, you give yourself the grace to strive forward.

After all, if you’ve already arrived and are already perfect, what’s left? Be honest with others, and diligent with training. You’ll get there!