If you want to build a successful business, you need to develop perseverance.
If you’re an entrepreneur, you are going to have problems. Big surprise, right?
One of these problems is rejection.
This is because a large part of an entrepreneur’s life involves moving others to action. When you’re building a business, there are plenty of times when you have to get someone else to do something you want.
Of course, the most obvious time that persuasion is necessary is when you have to convince prospects to become clients.
Unfortunately, this is why rejection is such a large part of life. Whenever you’re in a position where you have to get people to buy your product, service, or idea, you will hear the word “no.” A lot.
It sucks, doesn’t it?
But here’s some good news: it’s not as bad as you think it is.
Why?
Because rejection helps you develop perseverance. It helps you cultivate grit.
Why You Need to Develop Perseverance
This is the most important character trait that an entrepreneur can have. You can't build a successful business without it.
See, here's the thing. If you don't know how to persevere, you will fail. It doesn't matter how brilliant you are. It doesn't matter how great your product or service is. It doesn't matter how many crazy smart people you hire for your team.
If you don't develop perseverance, you're going to lose.
Why? Because no matter who you are and what you have, you are going to face obstacles. You are going to have to overcome challenges.
No great person has ever become great without having to deal with problems. Perseverance is the ability to keep moving forward even when you're dealing with mistakes, challenges, and failures. If you want to succeed you need to know how to persevere.
In this post, I'll cover 7 of the greatest ways to help you continue to move forward in the face of rejection. They will help you develop perseverance.
You are going to learn how to keep yourself going even when you're not sure you're going to succeed. When you use the tips given in this article, you will notice how they can empower you to continue to push forward no matter what happens.
Read on....
Self Talk
Do you want to become mentally tough enough to persevere through any obstacle? Watch the way you're talking to yourself. Your interior monologue can either make you unstoppable, or it can paralyze you.
It's a problem we all deal with at one point or another.
We think things like...
"I can't get this project done on time."
"I'm not smart enough to make this work."
"Can I really do this?"
"I'm so overwhelmed."
If you're like most people, you deal with thoughts like these all the time, don't you?
It's normal. However, wallowing in thoughts like these can make it seem impossible to move forward. It can diminish your resolve.
If you want to become successful, you need to fix this. I'm not saying that you can't ever think any negative thoughts. I'm saying that you need to balance those thoughts with positive thoughts.
Be nice to yourself. Start reminding yourself of all the things you have going for you. Talk to yourself about the things that are going right. Focus on your victories as well as your failures. Mastering your self talk is one of the most effective ways to develop perseverance.
Need some help? Check out our free "Self Talk Checklist." I created this to help myself focus on my victories. It has helped me immensely.
Practicing Gratitude
Gratitude is powerful. Incredibly powerful. Practicing gratitude on a regular basis can literally make you unstoppable. I know this from experience.
It's the most important thing on this list.
Practicing gratitude forces you to focus on the things in your life that are going right. It has been shown to make you happier, healthier, and more productive.
Keeping a gratitude journal is a great way to focus your mind on the positive aspects of your life. It's a great way to start if you're going to start incorporating gratitude into your every day life.
But if you want to experience the true power of gratitude, you need to express it. You need to tell the people in your life why you are grateful for them. And you need to do it often. Not only will this impact you, it will also impact the other person. Gratitude gives you the strength you need to develop perseverance.
Start practicing gratitude today. You'll be glad you did. You can thank me later!
Here's a free guide that can help you start practicing gratitude today.
Change Your Mindset
In her book "Mindset: The New Psychology Of Success," author Carol Dweck points out the importance of having the right mindset. She discusses the two types of mindsets a person can have: Growth or Fixed.
A fixed mindset is not open to the idea that we can learn from ore failures and mistakes. They basically believe that our skill levels are fixed. Therefore, when they encounter a setback, they are likely to believe that they can't learn to rise above it.
This is mental suicide for someone who wants to build a thriving business. When you're an entrepreneur, your success largely depends on your ability to develop and grow. This is where the growth mindset comes in.
Being growth minded allows you to continue to find other solutions to the problems you face. A growth-minded entrepreneur is not as likely to give up when she encounters a particularly challenging problem. Adopt a growth mindset. It can make it easier to persevere when you have challenges that seem insurmountable.
Celebrate Small Victories
How many times have you heard about brilliant entrepreneurs who built amazing companies overnight? Never.
That's because it doesn't happen that way.
Your ultimate goal is to build a thriving business, make a positive impact, and make tons of money right? Of course it is. At least, I hope it is.
Well if that's the only goal you're focused on, it's going to be hard to stay motivated. This it's because building an awesome company takes time.
In order to remain inspired, you have to also focus on the smaller victories that you have along the way. Each time you make a small step forward, celebrate it!
Build A Support Network
As I said before, self talk is very important. It helps you to focus on what you're doing right. But it doesn't replace the need for other people.
You need others around you who will motivate you to keep going when things get difficult. You have to have people in your corner who will give you encouragement and constructive criticism.
For many entrepreneurs, this isn't easy. A lot of people find it hard to understand what entrepreneurs go through when they're trying to build their own business. As a matter of fact, they tend to believe that entrepreneurship is folly. It's a "pie in the sky" dream that will never become real. These are not the types of people who will help you develop perseverance.
As a result, they try to "help" the entrepreneur by crushing their dreams. They discourage them rather than build them up. They want their entrepreneur friends to be "realistic." Obviously, this is NOT the person you want around you when you face challenges and obstacles. They mean well, but they're not going to be helpful.
It's a good idea to get to know other entrepreneurs. Find groups where you can network. Form connections with those who are doing the same thing you're doing.
Having like-minded people in your life will help you when things get tough. Other entrepreneurs understand what you're going through, so they can be the perfect people to have in your support network.
Take Some Time Off
Sometimes the best way to be productive is to stop working. Take breaks. Make sure you're getting enough sleep.
This isn't easy for many entrepreneurs, myself included. It's counterintuitive. If you're not doing the work, chances are, nobody else is.
But you have to do it!
You have to do it because everyone needs rest. If you work yourself to the bone, you will burn yourself out. Your mind will become exhausted, and it will be hard to maintain the mental strength you need to keep going. You can't really develop perseverance if you don't have the energy for it, right?
If you take breaks, you give your mind time to recharge. When you come back refreshed, you will do your work more effectively.
Cling To Your Purpose
Persevering requires you to remember your "why." Your reason for being will inspire you in those times when you feel discouraged.
It's something that is easy to lose sight of when we're bogged down with the details. But you can't afford to become distracted from it.
Your purpose is what will keep you going when things aren't going the way you like.
Why did you decide to start your business? What problems are you trying to solve? Who are you trying to help?
Remind yourself of the answers to these questions often. It's the vision that you cast for yourself that will continue to motivate you when you're dealing with obstacles.
Conclusion
As I said before, perseverance is the most important character trait an entrepreneur can have. Without it, there's no way you can succeed.
If you are the most skilled or the most intelligent, but lack the mental toughness to keep pushing forward when things are rough, you will not succeed. Develop persevverance. It's the only way you will win.
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