Unleashing the Power of Determination: The Why, Embracing Challenges, and Crafting a Brighter Future
A determined person pursues their goals and dreams regardless of life’s setbacks. You may have someone in your life who you admire for this very reason. They seem unshakable in their resolve to press on no matter what. Failure is not an option and success for them is a non-negotiable, therefore inevitable.
When I consider someone who is relentlessly pursuing with grit and determination, I often wonder what it is that they do differently. Or more importantly, how they think differently.
Considering this: I’ve thought about times in my own life where I’ve stayed determined in challenging times. Upon reflecting it came down to a definite “WHY”, an acceptance that life is hard, and a brighter vision for the future.
WHY?
Friedrich Nietzsche — 'He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.'
Finding our “why” has been an overused statement over the past few years. Mentioning it can cue a few eye rolls, especially from our pragmatic, data-driven folks who don’t resonate with all the touchy-feely stuff. The reality is, however, that we need a compelling why - a reason that drives us forward. Our why may be a better future for our children, financial freedom, our health, a whole host of reasons. Each is deeply personal and must be so compelling you would be willing to endure stress, hardships, loss of time and relationships if it matters that much to you. So, what is the most compelling reason you must achieve the goal you have your heart set on right now?
Amid a massive life change myself, I can tell you that I’ve been thrown more curveballs than I care to count. It’s been a grueling process and what keeps me going is that my why is deeper than my current circumstances because I know success is inevitable if I keep pressing.
Life is Hard!
We’ve bought in to a lie and notion that life is supposed to be easy. This sets us up for failure because we think that when we hit a roadblock we’re doomed, yet those very blocks are the foundation for which your success is built! When we relinquish control and any victim mentality we may be holding on to and embrace the hard, we can use the process to build even more grit and resolve. Life ebbs and flows. Sometimes it’s blissful and at other times you get smacked in the face repeatedly. That’s just reality. None of us are immune to it. The sooner we embrace the struggle, or better yet build our courage and determination muscles by creating our own hard circumstances, we will face each obstacle with new resolve. Rather than stay stuck in the challenge, work through it and reflect on how it may be a key part of your growth to prepare you for your ideal future!
A Brighter Future
One of my favourite mentors says, “The future looks bright”. He’s a podcast host and, while he covers topics that range from entrepreneurship to global crisis, he maintains a vision for a bright future. How is that even possible during a crisis? It’s possible because we can control our future. Can we control life’s circumstances or the behaviour of the people around us? No. What we can control is our thinking, our habits, our actions and determined steps forward to each of our goals.
We need a vision of what our future reality looks like to keep us on our path. I mentioned earlier a major life change that seems to be taking FOREVER! While I’ve been actively pursuing this goal, I’ve been visualizing what life looks like on the other side. I’ve been looking at photos, my vision board, revisiting my goals each day and closing my eyes and seeing my bright future. You can and should do this too, to crystalize in your minds eye where you want to be especially if you’re feeling stuck.
Remember, as Marie Forleo says, “Everything is figureoutable”. Believe this in your core and more importantly take at least one step today to get you closer to your goal because when 99% of people give up, this is your opportunity to step into your compelling, beautiful future that you’ve created because of your determination!
