The Power to Finish

I’m sure most of us have been inspired by and taken the advice of the wealthy “thought leader of the day” and made the big, audacious step toward accomplishing our desired goals. But after embarking on our entrepreneurial trek, the steps we are required to take become steeper. We become confronted with unexpected costs, hidden requirements, and unforeseen demands.

Ultimately we realize the true weight of our undertaking, and it is at this point where some of us may decide to quit. However, there is another decision we can make. We can choose to implement tools and resources to generate the resilience and endurance necessary to realize our dreams.

Resilience to Fight Resistance
In his classic motivational guide for overcoming creative blocks and resistance, The War or Art author, Steven Pressfield, makes the clear distinction between the person we desire to become, and the person we are when we are in the state of “Resistance”. It is believed that during any effort to improve, strengthen, or elevate ourselves, we can expect the force of resistance to take hold of our thoughts, beliefs, and actions. Resistance is essentially self-doubt and self-sabotage fueled by fear.

In an unexpected twist regarding our relationship to resistance, Pressfield says,

“Therefore, the more fear we feel about a specific enterprise, the more certain we can be that that enterprise is important to us and to the growth of our soul. That’s why we feel so much Resistance. If it meant nothing to us, there’d be no Resistance.”

This perspective opens up a way to overcome Resistance, because it’s just a messenger about how much we care about our business. This line of thinking then translates to “since I strongly care about my business, there has to be a stronger force than Resistance.” There most certainly is, and it’s called “Resilience”.

​The R5 Process to Strengthen Personal Resilience
The R5 process provides a five-part framework, or Resilience Plan, to assist you with moving through all of the facets associated with accomplishing goals. The R5 process consists of:

• Risk Assessment – before beginning most ventures, assess the risks involved
• Relationships – build or join a community of people who are working toward similar goals and allow them to be your advocates, advisors, and cheerleaders
• Responsibility – the understanding that you alone hold the responsibility for the course your life takes is an essential and empowering mental awareness
• Relentless Commitment – this deep decision to never give up and the passion of your “why” can produce your success
• Rapid Response – the willingness and ability to pivot quickly when unexpected events arise ​

Resilience Leads to Endurance
Strengthening Resilience generates the necessary endurance to meet your challenges head-on and get to the goal (aka, gold). Endurance helps you better appreciate yourself and your entrepreneurial trek. You learn that you actually have more creative ability than you imagined. You learn that you have the tenacity to push through the moments when it seems that progress is miles away. You learn that you have a team of people who care about you and who are excited to see you advance along the way. You learn to trust your instincts and know that your judgment is sound. You learn to believe in yourself. You learn that success is possible for you!

I highly recommend using the R5 process of Risk Assessment, Relationships, Responsibility, Relentless Commitment, and Rapid Response. This strategy and practice has contributed greatly to my ability to keep moving forward, and I trust that it can do the same for you.

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Meet Holland "In The Spotlight"

At any one time, Holland B. Nance is a writer, speaker, and entrepreneur who desires to impact lives with the liberating truth of Jesus Christ. As the Founder/Owner of PROPEL® Coaching and Consulting Solutions, LLC, she provides strategic solutions to personal and professional challenges through coaching, training, and organizational consultation for individuals, groups, and teams.

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