There is an interesting statement by Robin Sharma:
“When you most feel like giving up is when you most need to be keeping on“. How much is that applicable?
The need to be persistent is a mantra of self-development books. And indeed, it is a very important parameters to beat the Resistance that tries to prevent us from creating anything new (re-read the “War of Art” blog post and the “The War of Art” book if you’re not sure any more about what is Resistance).
I have experienced it first hand in my entrepreneurial venture. I have decided to give it 2 years before deciding to continue or ditch it. And when I feel miserable, stressed and depressed I remember this (or my wife does remind me), which gets me back on track.
There are some instances, though, where it might be better to stop and start something new. They are rare. It is very difficult to identify these rare instances because Resistance tricks us into believing that any difficulty is candidate for stopping. To get a full review of this important issue, re-read “The Dip” by Seth Godin. From a practical perspective, here’s a useful and simple process:
- define first some “breaking parameters and criteria” and write them down
- Decide that you will stop if you reach those breaking parameters
- Be very strict that you apply the exact parameters and criteria that you had written down a few months earlier
Be persistent. And know what are the rare instances where not to be.
