Perseverance or Letting Go?

Have you ever experienced professional disappointment or failure? It is painful. It leaves a scar. Sometimes these experiences cause us to pause and reflect on life and where things went wrong. Sometimes we wonder why we stayed in the situation for as long as we did. Or maybe you are experiencing this now: in a new executive role that has demands and expectations that are overwhelming you or maybe you are a small business owner and experiencing challenges in growth or financial hardship.

I don’t like to focus on failure. I want more wins than losses. I like to conquer and build things! We all do! But I DO like to learn from failure…sometimes these scars are important lessons that keep us from repeating the same mistakes and lay the foundation for something bigger and better.

 Sometimes the answer is Perseverance (and a better plan)

I recently interviewed Jacob Paul Phaneuf who owns Inside Out Studios. Jacob has an amazing business but shares that he struggled for the first 4 – 5 years. Sometimes putting food on the table was a challenge but he had a vision so he persevered until he flourished.

Jacob talks about following your life’s passion. “From a bigger perspective, I want those that come in contact with the studio to realize you really can do anything you want with your life, and as long as you’re pursuing something that you believe in with your whole heart and attitude, you can make something happen. There’s a reason we have big ideas and dreams in our head and we can’t let fear or apathy to rule our life. Someone recently told me, if you don’t do those things you know you should do or own those ideas that come to you as yours, they’re going to go on to someone else that will.”

Hardship is not always a reason to quit or let go. You don’t want to run away at the first sign of challenges ahead. I had a similar experience in launching my own venture but I had a strategic plan for growth and I was patient and followed my road map. I put in long hours and had laser focus on specific goals. In my new book, www.DontBuyADuck.com, I talk about making emotional -vs-strategic decisions and how to build and execute a plan that helps ensure success in launching and growing your business. A vision is important but if you don’t have a roadmap, a strategic plan, an action guide – do that now! It allows you to make strategic decisions rather than emotional decisions for your company.

Sometimes the answer is Letting Go.

It is challenging for me to even type the words “letting go”. As I mentioned earlier, I don’t like to focus on failure. I want more wins than losses. But I also know that occasionally things are just not a good fit. If you have made continual adjustments and have large losses for an extended period of time that have exhausted you – it may be time to steer your boat in a different direction. From personal experience:

• Don’t let it rob you of joy for prolonged periods of time.
• Don’t let it rob your loved ones of enjoying the best YOU. Give them your best!
• Let go and clear bandwidth for your next great adventure – you are on the cusp of creating something amazing!

Wherever You Are

Wherever you are – always give your best! Always act with integrity and put the needs of others first. Be passionate and take pride in the quality of your work and your contribution to your employees, employer, and customers. Find joy from what you are a part of and what you are building. Find value in your role in the process. Don’t burn bridges. Build lasting relationships. AND leave a legacy!

Resource

As an entrepreneur since an early age, I have my share of success stories. I also have some scars. I wouldn’t return any of these experiences for how they have helped me to grow. I have found my calling and this is a rewarding experience. Over the past decade, I have been blessed to consult with countless businesses to help them grow. I am passionate about helping businesses find greater success through effective marketing campaigns. If you are at a crossroads with growing your business or if you need direction for growth – I can help. I wrote www.DontBuyaDuck.com from my own experiences and as a road map to help others succeed in marketing their product or service.

Send me a note to share some of your success stories and scars and how they helped you to grow. I would love to hear from you.

Read the rest of my interview with Jacob Paul Phaneuf (owner of Inside Out Studio) here