How Much Time Do I Have And When Do I Give Up?
A few years ago, I had a conversation with my brother-in-law, Jeff, as he was in the process of mapping out an exit strategy from corporate America so he could start his own business. He shared a quote with me that motivated him and as best as I can remember it, it read, “Death is certain. Tomorrow isn’t. What will you do?”
This quote motivates me too as I am very aware of the fact that none of us know how much time we have left in our lives to accomplish all of the things that we want to so it’s important that we are clear about what we want to be spending our time doing and as Nike would say, “Just do it!”
If you are on the wrong path in your life, get on a different path as soon as possible! Don’t be afraid to “take the road less traveled” as suggested by Robert Frost or be like the crew of the Starship Enterprise and “boldly go where no man has gone before!” I think Teddy Roosevelt summed up the correct mindset that we should all have in life: “Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.”
Clarity is vital for all of us to gain an understanding of where we should focus our time and efforts. As Brian Tracy, a well known speaker, once said, “Clarity accounts for probably 80% of success and happiness. Lack of clarity is probably more responsible for frustration and underachievement than any other single factor. Your success in life will be largely determined by how clear you are about what it is you really, really want.”
If you believe that you are on the correct path for your life, then in the words of Winston Churchill,“Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give up. Never give up, never give up, never give up!” Persist until the angels call you home! If you ever do you feel like giving up, remember this quote from Calvin Coolidge, “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race”
So get clear in your heart and mind and get going on your dreams, for the clock is ticking my friends!
Neal