Mike just went back to his math test from the week before. The grade he got was a “C”. He can hardly contain his disappointment, because he studied for this test for quite a long time. You just can’t believe it. You feel like it doesn’t even matter if you try or not. Even when you try really hard, you still don’t get good grades. What’s the use of trying?

Of course, it feels very disappointing when things don’t go as planned; especially when you put in a good effort.

So how do you move on when the going gets tough? Would you call it “dropout” also if you were in Dan’s place or would you continue to study for your exams despite the low grade you received on this exam?

“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.” – Tommy Lasorda

1. Keep an open mind

In Mike’s case, I hope you agree that it is too early to throw in the towel. It is important that you keep trying until you get the result you want. When you say “I quit”, you turn off your inner dynamo and your determination goes away. Giving up is the easiest (and most tempting) thing to do! Do not give up! Keep trying!

The only thing you can do to achieve your goal is to keep an open mind. You will be more aware of the ideas and opportunities around you that could help you get closer to your goal. Once you say “I quit”, you are basically closing your mind of any other way to get closer to the end result and make any progress.

As in the math test example, if Dan keeps an open mind and chooses to keep studying for tests, he may find new ways to study, ways that work better for him to help him retain information, because not everyone learns in the test. Same way. There are always more ways to do something!

2. Trial and error

One thing to remember when you get discouraged is that you actually tried it in the first place. You made an effort! If you got a result that you did not like, you will need to adjust your action based on your result until you get a
best result. Especially at the beginning of something, sometimes we feel overwhelmed and think that we will never get there. Yes, you may have temporary setbacks, but if you learn from them and change your actions, you will get what you want.

Colonel Sanders was rejected more than 1000 times before someone bought his famous chicken recipe.

The Wright brothers tried many times before taking flight.

Thomas Edison tried to invent the light bulb more than 9999 times. Said every attempt showed him another way
how not to invent the electric lamp. He didn’t see it as a mistake, but as each trial as progress toward his ultimate goal. What a powerful mindset!

The spirit of “perseverance” (in correct English the word is “tenacity”) wins! Every time you try again, you WIN!

3. Questions are the answer!

When you run out of ideas, it’s time to start asking questions. Who do you ask the questions? Guess what, it’s YOU! That’s right, you have to start asking yourself the questions and you will get more answers. The trick is to ask yourself better questions so that
you will get better answers! what do I want to say with that?

Okay, let me give you an example and let’s use the above scenario about Mike and his math test. Now he could ask himself, “How come I never get a good grade? How come I can’t do well in school?” The trick is that when you ask those kinds of useless questions, you are going to find answers that are as useless as “Because I’m stupid, because I’ll never learn it, because I’m no good, etc.”

Now let me ask you a few questions:

“Will those answers help you? How will they make you feel? Will they make you act and try again?

Here’s a better way to ask yourself: “What can I try differently next time to help me study?” Ask questions that are geared toward getting what you want, not what you don’t want. Keep the questions positive!

For efficiency, try writing the questions. Ask yourself the questions before you go to sleep at night, and often the answers will come the next day, as your brain had time to think about it while you slept. Sounds easy enough doesn’t it? Keep asking “better” questions and “better” answers will come!

4. Orientation

Here’s another question. “Who can help you?”

Is there someone who has already achieved the same goal? Find them and ask them what they did to get there. Asking costs nothing. If they don’t help you, find someone else!

And guess what, these folks probably didn’t always do well at first. The difference is that they went ahead no matter how small the action seemed at the time. Once you are determined to persevere until you get what you want, you will also become more confident.

5. Excuse me!

A surefire way to prevent you from starting or even continuing toward your goal is to make up an excuse. Let’s be honest; there is always an excuse ready to go if you want. It’s easy to make excuses. If you find that you are making excuses, take a minute and you will see that you are actually deceiving yourself.

6. Imagine it!

I know that to achieve your goals, you will most likely have to venture outside of your comfort zone. That can be scary and not very uncomfortable at first! Keep focusing on the benefit of your goal to move forward.

Take a minute every time you feel overwhelmed and DREAM about your goal! Look at yourself already being there. Get a really clear picture of what it will look like, where it will be, and even how it will feel! It’s fun to dream and it will help you make your dream come true!

You deserve the best in life! You deserve to get what you are dreaming of and only you can make it come true! It is your birthright to have it all! No one has the right to take that away from you no matter what you have been told!

Stay in the game. Do not give up. Do not give up. Don’t succumb to pressure. You may need to take a breather every now and then to help you regain your momentum and that’s fine as long as you get back in the game again. Any dream worth having is worth persevering! You have it within you to create your dreams and your future! Go ahead and make it happen!

“If you can dream it you can do it!” -Walt Disney

“One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great Surprises, is discovering that he can do what he fears he cannot do.” -Henry Ford

PS: Just one last note to let you know when it’s really inadvisable to keep trying. It’s when you try to change someone other than yourself. It’s great to help a friend and do things for him sometimes, you just have to know that in the end, it’s really their responsibility to take care of themselves and have their own goals. It won’t work in the long run if you do it for them.