Develop Resolve
In order to lead yourself, you need to live with resolve. Be the kind of person who gets stuff done. Anyone can start something, but it’s those who can finish a task that become successful. The first mile of a marathon is crowded, but those who make it to the last mile have a wide open path to the finish line. Seeing things through to completion is a sign of strong leadership. Author Jeff Goins said, “Don’t waste your time with writing resolutions this New Year. Instead, focus on something else: resolve. While the words are similar, the difference in meaning is significant. A resolution is something you make. Resolve is something you have. In other words, commit. Choose into a process, not a set of audacious goals you’ll never meet.”
When I taught my youngest daughter how to ride I bike, I saw the difference between retreat and resolve. Every time she began to feel the slightest tilt of imbalance, my daughter would immediately jump off her bike in mid-flight. This became a habit she developed through repetition. The moment fear crept in, she would yell, “I’m bailing!” I kept encouraging her not to bail, but she kept giving into her insecurity. Over time, we eventually overcame that hurdle, as she learned how to manage her balance. Her resolve grew until she finally harnessed the power of staying on the bike, even when she felt unsteady.
My daughter isn’t the only one who is tempted to bail at the first sign of danger or uncertainty. This is a common, human response. Fear conditions us to jump ship at the first sign of discomfort. In fact, the word fear comes from the Old English word faer, meaning “sudden ambush or attack.” That is exactly what fear does: it attacks our courage and causes us to shrink back from following through.
You will never rise up to your potential unless you resolve to push through your fears. The moment we give in to our fears is the moment we cease growing. All true progress takes place just beyond the borders of fear. Successful people don’t run from fear; they run through it. They gain courage by facing their fears head-on.
All true progress takes place just beyond the borders of fear.
The path of potential runs straight through the heart of fear. You can’t achieve your purpose without breaking through the fear barrier. Sadly, most people never meet their potential because they turn back or take a detour away from fear. They never experience the satisfaction of facing their fears and achieving their goals, which leads to lives of complacency, or worse, regret. You have to get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable in order to live a life of significance.
* Taken from my book 5 Ways To Get A Raise available on Amazon Prime
