Chapter 32

Churchill said to never never never give up. That is easier said than done. We all feel like giving up sometimes. And occasionally feel like giving up regularly. This is in the normal range I am pretty sure. What separates the winners from those who give up is a tenacity, a persistence, an unwillingness to quit or capitulate that keeps them moving forward no matter the odds. You can develop this trait within yourself, albeit slowly. I don’t find this one grows very rapidly, but it can grow.

It starts in your mind, with your thinking, as you work through what you want to continue, and why. The why is so critical. When things got tough in the past, I would eat. Eating was my to-go stress management. Well that resulted in a 300 pound 5’ 9’ man who eventually had an aneurysm in his 30’s. I had to make a decision to never use food as a solution for anything in my life. Fast forward 25 years, and this same man weights an appropriate 145 pounds. But I don’t use food as a solution. And the why is critical. The why is, that food was killing me. It is a poison when consumed the way that I was using it. I have to know my why, or food can take over my life again.

It finishes in your actions. You have to take the necessary steps to keep making progress. Many times that can be one simple step. This could be just showing up mentally and physically for what needs to be accomplished, instead of procrastinating. Refusing to procrastinate is a huge step toward never giving up. Refusing to despair is another. You can do this. You got this!