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Feb 15 2017

Hardship leads to progress

We’ve all had that moment where we wonder if our hard work will ever pay off. You know what I’m talking about; those moments when you wonder what else you can do and how much longer you’ll have to wait before you start to feel like you’re reaping the fruits of your labour. You wonder if it really has to be this hard.

Denzel Washington did his acceptance speech at the NAACP Awards and he said a line that has stuck with me since I heard it for the first time. Near the end of his speech he said: “ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship.” I think that this is an important reminder for anyone working towards a goal.

While it would be nice if our goals were easy to realize, it’s simply not the reality. If it was easy to make our hopes and dreams a reality, everyone would be doing it, and they aren’t. Life’s challenges force us to make a decision – maintain the status quo or do things differently.

Doing things differently means stepping outside your comfort zone. If you want to get different results, you have to do things in ways you never have before. The result is progress. It might be slow, but it will be worth it.

There’s a reason why Napoleon Hill dedicates an entire chapter to persistence in his timeless classic, Think and Grow Rich. The ability to persist even when it would be easier to quit, is one of the traits that successful people have. They refuse to give up because they believe that what they’re working towards is possible, regardless of what the present situation is.

I know that it may seem impossible at times, but you have to believe that the goal you’re working towards possible. It’s not about having a “Plan B”. It’s about putting your all into making your “Plan A” a reality.

Don’t let hardships discourage you. Like Denzel said, ease is the greater threat. Challenges provide the opportunity for progress. Stay focused on the end goal. Have faith that it is possible and believe that you are capable of enduring the rough patches. If you’re able to persist, there’ll be a time when you’ll look back at the struggles and laugh at how impossible it all once seemed!

Sandra Dawes is a certified life coach specializing in helping women who feel unfulfilled with their 9-5 follow their dreams and pursue their passions. She holds an Honours BA, an MBA as well as a certificate in Dispute Resolution. She has completed her first book,Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve!

Connect:

www.embraceyourdestiny.ca

www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestiny

www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestinythebook

www.twitter.com/sandradawes

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Written by Dwania Peele · Categorized: Sandra Dawes · Tagged: challenges, Denzel Washington, Embrace Your Destiny, handships, hard work, NAACP, Napoleon Hill, Plan A, Plan B, progress, Sandra Dawes

Dec 16 2015

3 Indicators You’re Focusing on the “Right Stuff”

sandra

I’m constantly being reminded of how powerful our focus is. Whatever we focus on expands. Good, bad or otherwise, we get what we spend the most of our energy on. While it can be a scary notion, the good news is that the choice of where we focus on minds remains in our complete control. Here are 3 ways to know your focusing your energy in a productive way.

  1. Despite any challenges you’ve encountered, your still passionate about your goal

Passion is the fire that fuels us in the pursuit of our goals. If our goals aren’t big enough, or meaningful enough, it’s easy to lose heart. When we focus on why we chose the goal, what achieving the goal is going to mean for us, those around us and maybe even the world at large, the bumps and bruises along the way are worth it. Challenges don’t discourage us from the things that are important to us. Instead, they show us what we’re made of, and empower us with the strength to make the once seemingly impossible, possible.

  1. People are starting to notice your efforts

Persistence pays off. When you persist in the achievement of your goals, things start to happen and people begin to take notice. Maybe you’ve started things in the past and left them incomplete because you lacked the necessary passion. This time is different, and the people around you can see that. What’s exciting about this is that when you commit to your goals and remain focused no matter what, people around you want to contribute to your success. Big goals are impossible to achieve on your own. We all need support to make our goals a reality. With the support of others, you’re unstoppable!

 

  1. Even in moments of darkness, opportunities present themselves to restore your faith

Have you ever had moments when you actually begin to question if you really know what you’re doing? Maybe you’ve even considered looking for a job, thinking that it might be time to think about a “Plan B”. All of a sudden, it happens – it seems like the heavens open and opportunities start showing up. They may not all pan out, but you know have a renewed faith and excitement about the possibilities when it comes to the goal you’re working towards. You see enough of a glimmer to believe in the existence of the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. I believe that these moments occur to encourage us not to give up. They are a reminder of the idea I talk about at the beginning of #2 – persistence and commitment pay off. Keep your eye on the prize and you will reap the rewards!

Remaining positive in the pursuit of our goals can be challenging, but it is necessary. Negative experiences are a part of life. We all experience failures and disappointments in our personal and business goals. How we choose to deal with them, and what we choose to focus on always remains in our control. What will you choose to focus on today?

Sandra Dawes is a certified life coach specializing in helping women who feel unfulfilled with their 9-5 follow their dreams and pursue their passions. She holds an Honours BA, an MBA as well as a certificate in Dispute Resolution.She has completed her first book,Embrace Your Destiny: 12 Steps to Living the Life You Deserve!

Connect:

www.embraceyourdestiny.ca

www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestiny

www.facebook.com/embraceyourdestinythebook

www.twitter.com/sandradawes

Share this:

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Written by Dwania Peele · Categorized: Sandra Dawes · Tagged: achieve, Canadian Small Business Women, challenges, destiy, efforts, Embrace Your Destiny, entrepreneur, faith, focus, goals, Passion, Plan B, Sandra Dawes

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