As our nation goes through difficult times, there is value in taking a moment to enjoy a breath of fresh air. Life is hard. Business is hard. Both are harder when you do not even try. Why is it that we look at something and decide right away whether or not we’re going to be able to achieve it? 
Think of that dream customer that you would love to have in your business – how many times have you tried to connect with him or her recently? Think of that pile of debt you now have – how much did you pay towards it last week? What about that dream house of yours – what have you done to get its keys in your hand? Children are famous for claiming to know which foods they dislike even if they have never tasted the dish before in their young lives. Apparently, as we age, we do not grow out of this illogical behavior. In order to get a child to try a new food, parents either need to trick them, negotiate and bargain with them, or simply force them to do the right thing. This is what parents do. So, what happens when we grow up and our parents are not there to force us to do what they know is best for us?
Well, some simply replace the role of their parents with an employer or supervisor. The others simply leave the parental role vacant. Many would agree that big things can be accomplished if steps are taken in the right direction; consistently, and over time. Yet, it is also true that agreeing with the previous statement does nothing in the way of actually producing results. Are your options then relegated to tricking yourself, negotiating or bargaining with yourself, or simply forcing yourself to produce results? If you are no stranger to trying to do the right thing for yourself, then you surely have tried all of these tactics – to no avail. So, what is left to try? If everything you have tried to do to grow your business, pay off your debt, or reach a desired goal in your life has not worked, you truly do have a choice to make. Logically, one could argue that you are out of options.  Yet, if that were true why haven’t you given up? You have not given up yet because you know what you want, and you are determined to get it. You have simply not found the right formula to bring about the change you wish to occur in your life. Be patient; not giving up means not being out of options.  Yes, you are still taking a step in the right direction if you have not given up.  If you are still taking a step – regardless of the size – then you have momentum. You may not have realized that you have momentum before.  That may be because you are beating yourself up for not having the “quick fix.” Business is hard. Life is hard. Both become easier when you stop trying to “fix” things in one fell swoop.  The moment you recognize that your efforts are indeed moving you in the right direction, your subsequent actions will begin to improve. When you realize that you are moving the ball down the field, you will realize that you can continue to do so. You were already taking one step at a time, you just have not seen it that way. You do not need to give up and throw up your arms in despair or wander aimlessly, staring at the ground in defeat. Instead, you need to pick your head up and move forward again. You need to dust yourself off and take another step in the right direction. The more steps you take, the more progress you will see.
Success breeds success and, unless you have given up completely, you will find yourself succeeding. Continue putting one foot in front of the other and, then, repeat again.