Written by: Claire Johnson, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
The common mistake many make when working towards something is that they give up when a challenge first arises. One small setback or hurdle leads to their mind being filled with doubt, negative self-talk and countless thoughts of not being good enough.
If you stop before you have momentum, then of course you will fail; it is exactly the same as if you don’t even try for fear of failure. After all, the key to overcoming any fear, first of all is accepting that actually it is ok to be a little nervous or unsure of some things – it is when this develops into deeper anxiety that prevents you doing what you want to, that it has become a problem. Try not to let doubt stop you, if you think positive and believe in yourself this will give you the confidence to try anything at least once.
If there is an activity you have been longing to do yet those around you are putting negative thoughts in your mind then try to seek out people you know who have already done it so they can provide support and valuable advice for you. This will assist to boost confidence as well as ignite the excitement within to try something new.
You must make it essential to have impetus when working towards your goal; the more attention and intention you can put in at the start of the process, the quicker you start to see progress, and the more likely you are to continue moving forward with the work.
Let’s think about a plane taking off, it generates an initial surge of power to move, then accelerates continuously down the runway until it reaches the point where it will lift off and continue to climb, gaining speed. This is exactly what you must replicate with your focus, especially if you are serious about getting what you want!
Life can be hard. Not every journey you take is smooth, and turbulence does occur, yet this is no reason to quit. Mental toughness and resilience are built by riding the waves and facing challenges head-on.
When I work with my clients, I will ask them what the alternative looks like should they choose to quit, we work to reframe the obstacles into learning opportunities, so that progress continues. It is important to realize that feeling like quitting is normal, yet the key to your success is what you do when this feeling arises.
Managing your physical energy to ensure you get adequate rest, recovery, sleep and fuel into your body is not just essential for athletes, but also for anyone who wants to perform at the top of their game, whether it be in the corporate, sports or normal world. You simply cannot perform at your best, or think clearly, if you are tired and stressed. Your ability to absorb information and convert visual data into conscious thought is dulled down when tired. Similarly, when your energy levels are low your emotional brain may take over so you respond differently to a situation than you would from a more rational place.
Quitting or at least the thoughts of quitting are common, for everyone at any level, your brain is wired to seek out the negatives and then remove you from what is perceived to be painful as a protection mechanism. Do understand though, that in these moments of discomfort, you are actually growing, developing and improving so you have to push through and there are processes you can follow to make the bumps smoother.
Developing a no-quit attitude does take time, and just like with every muscle in your body, your brain needs to be trained to become tougher. Consistently challenge yourself to improve your mental toughness, get comfortable with pushing your boundaries and spend more time in an uncomfortable place.
You also need to become unafraid of putting in the hard work. There will be times when it gets tough and you will have to work harder to get a new different result to where you currently are at. Accepting this and trusting the process is critical to strengthening your grit and determination so you can be confident in developing a no-quit attitude.
Claire Johnson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Claire is an expert mindset, nutrition, and training coach for women, authors, TV presenters, expert speakers, and female empowerment mentors.
Claire is the CEO of The Naked Warrior, which delivers 3 winning online coaching programs and Founder of The Naked Warrior Tribe online female empowerment community plus the author of two books — The Winning Formula: Discover the Secrets to Unleash Your Alpha Female and The Winning Physique: How to Get the Competitive Edge on Stage.
