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!
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