If you’ve ever felt like throwing in the towel, you’re in some very good company. I’d be prepared to bet that there’s not a successful musician, politician or sports star, living or dead, who didn’t at one time or another consider quitting. The point is though, they didn’t quit and that’s why they’re successful. In fact, being able to overcome the obstacles in your path are crucial to your success. It’s not easy but there are some simple tricks you can use to get your enthusiasm back on its feet and leave you feeling gung-ho about getting back into the fight.
The first thing to do is go back to the beginning and remember why you started out in your career and why you wanted to succeed. Maybe you wanted to prove yourself to yourself. Maybe you thought about the extra money you could earn. Perhaps your chosen path could mean more time for your friends, family and also yourself. Whatever the reason, write it down and put it somewhere you can see it. Stick it on the fridge, the back of the bathroom door. Have it pop up on the screen every time you open your computer. Wherever you decide, all it has to do is be visible and act as a constant reminder of why you do what you do.
Secondly, who do you admire? Find inspirational quotes from them. A simple Google or Pinterest search should turn up thousands of results. Also search for things like “work inspiration” or “leadership quotes” and you can filter these to show you beautiful visual quotes by choosing “images” under your Google search. Choose the ones that resonate most with you and save them to your own Pinterest board, post them to your colleagues, or make a desktop wallpaper for your computer.
Next, when you’re feeling defeated, write a list of all the negative beliefs you have about yourself, your work, all the obstacles in your way and all the reasons you should give up now on one half of a piece of paper. Then, on the other half, go through one by one and write positive actions to specifically counter each item. Read this list regularly until you feel confident enough to tear the page in two and destroy the negative half.
Try surrounding yourself with success. When you daydream about your successful career, what do you see? Yachts, supercars, beachside properties? What images do you associate with success? Search online for photos that match the images in your imagination and either post them around your desk or create a vision board where you compile all your visual ideas of success. You may want to complement this with a list of “power words” that give you a boost of energy to read or say out loud. For some people, it might be a simple “Yes!”, while others may be able to find more inspirational words that have a specific meaning to their goals.
Don’t forget to discuss your ideas and passion with your boss, trusted friend, or colleague who can be unconditionally supportive. Having one or more people in your corner to cheer you on and keep your chin up is always a good thing.
Lastly, if you’ve got a dream, never give up!
