Everyone in life has setbacks, both big and small. The bigger ones may feel more noticeable, but even the smaller ones can take a toll on the way we think and feel. These challenges can leave people scrambling to keep up, and might lead to people reconsidering their paths and goals.
Learning how to deal with and overcome obstacles is a critical trait for entrepreneurs. So what kinds of techniques or approaches can such leaders use when they’re facing trying times or unforeseen challenges? To find out more, we consulted members of the Young Entrepreneur Council about how people can improve their perseverance skills. Here is what they advise:
1. Don’t be afraid to fail.
Perseverance comes from failing and getting back up. Without failure, you cannot become resilient. So you have to change your relationship with failure to seeing it as a lesson, rather than a setback. You can learn so much from failure that changing your attitude toward it can have amazing implications for your life.
—Frederik Bussler, bitgrit Inc.
2. Be 1% better every day.
Having a growth mindset is a great way to increase perseverance and motivation. Understand that these are skills like any other and try to improve upon them just 1% every day. Keeping this concept at the back of your head throughout the day is a great way to get better in all regards.
3. Begin to take risks.
By learning to take risks, you raise the probability of facing more difficult situations. When in those difficult situations, if you can learn to adapt and understand what steps are necessary to keep the company moving in the right direction, you can grow as a leader.
—Jordan Edelson, Appetizer Mobile LLC
4. Understand resistance.
More people can persevere when they have a better understanding of resistance. Every business owner who struggles with it should read The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. This book helps one be able to identify what it is that tries to hold them back. When one can name the resistance, it loses its power and there is more room for perseverance.
—Diego Orjuela, Cables & Sensors
5. Exercise regularly.
Apply the 40% rule. The rule is that if you complete 40% of the task, your likelihood of quitting drops drastically. I believe that the No. 1 way to develop this skill is physical training. Lifting weights, doing sprints or even some endurance training is guaranteed to carry over to your mental resilience.
—Aaron Selkrig, Selkrig Performance Unit
Related: Soldier and Endurance Athlete Rob Killian Will Not Be Denied
6. Build a network of support.
If you want to learn how to persevere, you should build a network of support. Building a network of support that includes family, friends, co-workers and peers will allow you to have a comfortable place to open up and get feedback and encouragement during hard times. Whenever something goes wrong, you can turn to your network of support and talk through what’s going on.
7. Keep your goals in mind.
When we make mistakes or fail, many people will be tempted to give up altogether. Instead, if you want to persevere, keep your goals in mind at all times. Start by writing down your short and long-term goals somewhere that’s easy to access. Then, anytime there’s a bump in the road, take a look at that list to inspire you and keep you moving forward.
—Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms
8. Set clear benchmarks.
Success can be a long and tough journey. I suggest instilling benchmarks to provide yourself rewards or encouragement along the way. The rewards can be anything from a fancy lunch to new clothes or a weekend vacation. The benchmarks will keep reminding you of the progress you have made. Additionally, the reward helps provide continued motivation to persevere through difficult times.
—Matthew Podolsky, Florida Law Advisers, P.A.
9. Remember your ‘why.’
Getting a break doing anything in this world can be tough. I was once told by an old professor, “It’s not the most talented people that make it, it’s the ones with the most endurance.” And that is true. For me, I have to remember the “why.” Why am I doing this? What was the original reason I set out on this path? Reflecting on that reminds me that this journey is worth my time.
Photo by Lipik Stock Media / Shutterstock
