Proverbs to Live By: Inspiration for Your Week (March 5)

“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost,
whether you have enough to finish it–lest, after you have laid the foundation,
and are not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock you saying,
‘This person began to build and was not able to finish’?”

When I think of endurance the movie Rocky instantly comes to mind. Particularly, Rocky IV, when Sylvester Stallone is training endlessly in the cold fields of Russia in preparation for his mega-fight against Ivan Drago. Endurance is about pushing ourselves to the limits of our capabilities. It’s about challenging ourselves to be better today than we were yesterday. Rocky understood this, and although it was just a movie, he set a great example for others.

In the business world, endurance is about planning and taking massive action. It is about developing a concrete plan, and seeing it through to completion. No excuses. No giving up. Endurance takes sweat, and lots of effort and hard work. It is not for the faint of heart. Some of my best clients have learned to endure through challenging times and turbulent economic periods. They inspire others to push through obstacles, and remind people that the end goal is worth all the effort.

So, how do you build endurance. Follow these four steps:

  1. Strengthen Your Resolve: Resilience is about our ability to roll with the punches. When stress, adversity, or trauma strikes, you have to push through it and keep striving for your desired outcome. When you have resilience, you harness inner strength that helps you rebound from a setback or challenge. Although resilience won’t make your problems go away, it will give you the ability to see past them. This will help you reach your goals.
  2. Look for Inspiration: Inspiration is all around us. We see people daily that deal with situations far more difficult than our own, and they persevere and push through. Always be on the look out for people or experiences that provide hope and spark your energy. I recommend to all my clients to find some outlets for volunteer work or giving back. This opens the door for inspiration and connects us to things outside our typical sphere of influence.
  3. Push Through Obstacles: Challenges will inevitably surface when you’re pursuing your dreams. Push through these barriers. If you can’t do it alone, get help. Find people who have faced similar obstacles and seek their guidance and counsel. Remember, the night is always darkest before the dawn. Just because some obstacle seems insurmountable does not mean you can’t push through it and reach your desired outcome.
  4. Always Keep Your Eyes on the Prize: Having a goal, an objective your trying to accomplish, is always critical to strengthening your resolve and endurance. The goal pushes you forward. It helps you get through the difficult times. Always keep your objective front and center in your thinking. This will help you overcome challenges along the way.

Endurance builds character. Practice the behaviors above and you will be well on your way to accomplishing your dreams.