3 Ways to Persist in the Face of Doubt

Permission and Persistence 

I found myself on a mentoring call with a client yesterday and we reached a critical point. In essence we were discussing if they should continue or not continue with a major project they had sunk some considerable time and money into. 

It was at the point I asked them a tough question.

“Do you have the permission to walk away?”

Let’s just say their response to my question wasn’t exactly the warmest part of our conversation that day. Incredulous probably best described their mood. 

After the initial shock of my question, we looked further at their case, and something became crystal clear. They actually hadn’t given themselves permission to stop the project, because even though they might physically cease effort into the space there would have been a continued investment of what Seth Godinreferred to in his book Linchpin as emotional labour.

Regret might have been one feeling that continued long after...it might also be frustration, anger, sadness or disrespect. All of these emotions can, and do, take up enormous energy even if they don’t appear to be a physical effort. And this emotional energy can be just as exhausting as physical effort.     

Relationship Counsellors and Therapists often talk about the concept of many people get divorced before they have earned the right to do so. Before they have earned the permission to end the marriage. The result? Baggage. 

Ceasing work tasks or projects is no different. Just because it is hard or doesn't appear to be working at the present moment isn’t enough justification to stop. If you don’t persist long enough to truly find yourself ready to cease, you will continue the project emotionally long after the physical work is stopped.

Persistence gives us the permission to call the shots. Until you have truly persisted to the point where the emotional response is a reasoned one, you aren't ready to divorce yourself of the task. 

How to persist in the face of doubt:

• Change it up: Persistence doesn’t mean simply doing the same thing for the same results. Try different strategies, different angles, new things in pursuit of the same goal
• Step it up: Work harder. Ask yourself the hard question ‘do I have more to give?’
• Back it up: Use your support networks. Do you have people you can call on to help you through. Never forget the problem with martyrdom is the ending isn’t ideal!

Warm wishes,

Darren

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THE GIFT: Pragmatic Thinking's Alison Hill on Playing a Bigger Game

This weeks gift very special!  Pragmatic Thinking's close friend Ron 'Rowdy' McLeaninterviews Alison Hill, psychologist and mentor, on Playing a Bigger Game.
Alison explains how Playing a Bigger Game is much more than just a concept for business but rather applicable to all aspects of our lives and how not to let our own internal barriers get in the way.