The Warrior’s Way — Keep Going

I’ve been a full-time entrepreneur for about a year now. Working for yourself is pretty cool, though sometimes the boss is a complete jerk and expects you to work super long days with no extra pay. There are times that all seems lost, or like it’s just not going to happen. To those feelings, I say keep going. That is the way of the warrior.

Look for signs

We often expect that success will come quickly, but that is rarely the case. Instead, to make progress we need to be thankful for those incremental gains. Moving the pebbles, not the boulders. One thing I’ve learned is to look for the signs that you are moving in the right direction.

Maybe you get a new lead out of the blue, or someone from the past reaches out to provide words of encouragement or an opportunity. Don’t take anything for granted. These are all serendipitous signs that things are working in your favor. Eventually, all those experiences and your hard work will amount to something big. You can reach your aspirations if you are dedicated. It just won’t happen as fast as you think.

Be ready to sacrifice

I learned a long time ago that to find success means you need to sacrifice the life you have now for the life you want to achieve in the future. What are you willing to give up? What else are you willing to give up? The cost of victory is often more than we expect and means a complete transformation of life.

Professional athletes are a good example of this. They have to be on strict diets, spend a lot of time in the gym, and commit to extremely regimented programs to keep their minds and bodies in top shape. I would imagine that as they get older or are recovering from injuries, they need to sacrifice even more to be able to compete at the highest levels. After years of dedication, they get tired, not of the games but of the preparation. Yet that never give up attitude is what allowed them to reach the top of their sport. You will need to apply a similar level of determination if you want to be the best at what you do too.

I was watching the American Football Semifinals last week (NFC Championship) and one of the star players said he had yet to see his baby son (born one month prior) because it was not feasible for him to take off enough time for a visit. That’s the kind of sacrifice I’m talking about.

Be in the moment

The only way to achieve at these levels and still have a life is to be mindful of your situation. When you are with family or friends give them 100% of your energy. When you are developing your business give it 100% as well.

Whatever it is you are trying to achieve, being all in on your commitment to excellence will ensure you succeed. You’ll sacrifice time with friends and family, time scrolling through social media, or binge watching the latest shows. You may even lose some important people in your life along the way. That’s part of the cost of success. Remember, you are building a new life.

Find your pace

You could, on the other hand, take the slow road and make progress after work and on weekends and holidays. Just realize that it is going to take even longer to reach the vision you have of your life. No matter which road you take, keep going.

In conclusion

Most things are achievable in life if we are determined to making progress. It took me ten years to write my book, Win the day. But I did it! Launching my business has been slow, and I’ve failed several times before, but it’s growing little by little. And I can see signs that this is meant to be. Now, I just need to find the resources and continue to build. I will get there if I keep going, and so will you. Be a warrior and keep fighting.

Every night before I fall asleep, I envision my greatest level of success. Sometimes it’s speaking in front of a few thousand people, other nights it’s running a company with a handful of employees providing valuable services to our customers and everyone having a sense of joy in their work. These drive me to keep going. What’s driving you?