ENTREPRENEURIAL HACK OF THE WEEK #47
The Power of Perseverance
3 mindsets for fulfilling our goals
In life’s journey, one trait stands out as a true game-changer: perseverance. It’s the steadfast commitment to keep going, even when the path seems rocky and the odds insurmountable.
Stick-to-itiveness, another way to think of perseverance, is a determination to keep going despite adversity. It is an entrepreneur’s best friend, the driving force behind achieving goals and fulfilling dreams.
If you want perseverance, you must become your own support system. Here’s how.
Find your purpose
Life’s challenges become more manageable with a clear sense of purpose. I don’t mean the purpose of your company. I mean your purpose. Yes, I’m getting personal.
American author and life coach Tony Robbins suggests purpose drives us to be our absolute best, and he provides some self-reflective questions to help you find yours: “How will you give back to the world? Looking back on your life, what will be your biggest accomplishment? Your biggest regret?”
That reflection will help you find your purpose — and your inner strength. Robbins describes inner strength as “a deep, unstoppable belief in yourself.”
Perhaps a perseverance in believing you can do, be, or become?
Perseverance isn’t merely enduring hardships but staying true to your purpose despite obstacles.
I’d recommend you check out your degree of personal alignment with this wheel of life assessment. By closely looking at your alignment, you can intentionally close the gap between where you are and where you want to be.
Celebrate wins and ‘power’ through failures
Perseverance isn’t just about forging ahead; it’s also about knowing when to celebrate. Celebrating your wins, no matter how small, is crucial for maintaining your motivation. It reinforces that your efforts are paying off and that you’re on the right track.
However, failures are inevitable. They can be disheartening, causing some to abandon their pursuits altogether. But a true champion sees failures as opportunities for growth. Instead of letting failure define them, they use it as a steppingstone to success. Every setback is a chance to learn, adapt, and get closer to their goals.
It depends on how you see failure. Intellectually curious people are vulnerable, impulsive, and easily distracted — but they’re also open to making mistakes and having false starts.
They see failure as lessons on their path to success, not their downfall.
I’m not suggesting you fail on purpose. While failure isn’t a scarlet letter, it isn’t a badge of honor either. Failure carries both societal and real consequences. You might lose your outside investors’ money. You might lose talented employees or an important customer.
You can’t perpetually pivot forever, but you can pivot when necessary when you face failure. Ultimately, I’m saying this: it isn’t about the failure but how you respond and recover from it.
Don’t let failure define you or dictate the terms to you. Failure isn’t career-limiting. It can be career-enhancing.
In fact, failure is a necessary resource. I love what one of my colleagues — a professor and coauthor, Dr. John Danner — opined in an interview with Strategy + Business:
“We look at failure as a phenomenon, like gravity. It does no good to deny it, ignore it, or try to wish it away. Instead, organizations should not only acknowledge its existence, but treat it as a resource on a par with the financial, technological, and human resources they manage. It is experience they have already paid for. What they need to do is get the maximum return on that investment.”
In another interview in which he discussed his book, The Other ‘F’ Word, he told YourStory that “failure is grief but not game over.” I love that sentiment.
Somehow, it provides me enormous relief when deep in innovation’s complexities, chaos, and uncertainties.
Maintain a strong mindset
Perseverance and a growth mindset go hand in hand. A growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. When you approach challenges with a growth mindset, you’re more likely to persevere because you view setbacks as temporary and opportunities for improvement.
The good news is that we can change our mindset — with habit-forming activities, a positive attitude, and an outside support system.
Imagine someone starting a business. They may encounter financial difficulties, competition, and unexpected setbacks.
With a growth mindset, they’ll see these challenges as chances to learn and innovate. They won’t be discouraged by initial failures; instead, they’ll adapt their strategy and keep pushing forward.
Perseverance is the unwavering determination to overcome obstacles and achieve your goals. Stay true to your purpose and learn to grow through wins and losses. Maintain a growth mindset despite setbacks.
By embodying these principles, you can navigate life’s challenges gracefully and thrive. In short, when faced with adversity, persevere.
Want more tips on networking? You can get my best tips here.
Karl R. LaPan is the director of UF Innovate | Accelerate, the place-making, entrepreneurial support organization within UF Innovate dedicated to working with entrepreneurs, innovators, and business builders. Through two award-winning, globally recognized facilities, UF Innovate | Accelerate delivers industry-leading entrepreneurial programs and services designed (1) to accelerate the growth and development of its client companies and (2) to increase the likelihood of success of the business ventures it serves.
Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.
