Steadfastness – Persistence – tenacity – determination… These are the many ways to say it, but here’s the point: perseverance is a huge factor in building a brand identity that resonates and stands the test of time.  

The past few years have been a lesson in perseverance for me, but when I started tackling the task of encouraging & educating people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, exposing the community to their needs and equipping employers with the tools needed for a mindset change, I truly understood perseverance.  

Today, I want to talk about:

5 Perseverance Pitfalls to Avoid Burnout/Overwhelm

STEADFASTNESS: Under normal circumstances, being steadfast could be interpreted as a positive quality.  It’s when one is firm in their belief or unwilling to see the other points of view, that being “steadfast”  becomes an issue in business growth (a pitfall).

It doesn’t take much to imagine the loss of a deal because you are too critical of others or closed to the possibility that others may havecc’d constructive feedback.

PERSISTENCE: As a rule, being persistent is also a positive quality for successful entrepreneurs.  It meets pitfall standards however, when “I’s” haven’t been dotted and “T’s” haven’t been crossed appropriately.  As part of my LEADERSHIP LANDSCAPE, I talk about “living your value”.  This is such a small statement, but it packs a HUGE punch.  Living your value requires you to actually know what that value is AND be confident in it. The process of discovering/embracing your value is where you’ll begin to identify the “I’s” and “T’s” needing to be appropriately handled during your growth.  In identifying them, you’ll establish, what I like to call, CIRCUMSTANCES FOR OPTIMAL SUCCESS.  Once you’ve discovered your formula, your persistence will be well directed and you will see the results you’re looking for more often.

TENACITY: tending to adhere or cling especially to another substance.  I really liked this definition and wanted to add it to the blog post because adhering or clinging to the WRONG idea or the wrong target audience isn’t going to get you what you want.  It’s a valuable quality, tenacity. It’s just one of those qualities that, if read the wrong way, could come across aggressive, pushy, or overbearing. Not too many people want to do business with that guy.  It’s what makes it a pitfall..  It’s important to check your personality and do what I call “Manage it’s volume”.  I have an outgoing personality and I’ve been told I can be “like a dog with a bone”, but that’s not always good.  Depending on the personalities I’m working with, I have to adjust my personality to ensure I’m not coming across in an unintended way.  I’ve learned to listen more, absorb what I hear, process, then respond. I find I minimize the tendency to adhere or cling to the wrong things. As a rule, be sure to double and triple check what you’re clinging too and make sure you’re volume is adjusted to the appropriate level to avoid any blowback.

DETERMINATION: In order to succeed, we all have to be determined, right? We act definitively and firmly to achieve our goals.  The pitfall here however, is doing so with blinders on. Being oblivious to what’s going on around you can create negative outcomes.  Acting with no regard for how you will affect others can result in lost opportunities, being labeled selfish or hard to get along with.  These outcomes don’t help you win friends and influence people.

Developing a brand identity through brand authenticity is a way to organize your business so your determination will reflect the true intentions of your actions and attract instead of repel.

Our final pitfall is DISCOURAGEMENT:  Whew…. The road to a successful business can be long, hard and lonely at times.  There will be days you feel like blowing a gasket, throwing in the towel, banging your head against a wall or ALL OF THE ABOVE, and that’s normal.  The difference between those who make it and those who don’t is one gives up and the other gets up every time they fall. Discouragement is the deprivation of confidence.  Don’t allow demons like self-doubt, comparing yourself to others, or TIME (feeling like you’re running out of it) to get you discouraged. Tap into your value and love yourself enough to be yourself so you can fuel your confidence.  When you believe in the uniqueness of your value, no one compares to you and you’re pity parties won’t last as long as they once did.

Perseverance IS being steadfast, persistent, tenacious, and determined so don’t STOP.  Do however, avoid the potential pitfalls described in this blog post AND become a VIP Member. You’ll receive all the goodness only shared with my VIP! Use the form below to get the goods.