Giving Up at Precisely the Wrong Moment

In the early stages of the journey toward achievement, leaders have the passion and tenacity to meet adversity and to defeat it. But as the challenges pile up over time, the desire to keep going gets harder.

Self-doubt creeps into the mind and leaders find themselves wondering if they are truly capable of scaling the summit of success. Perhaps, admitting defeat or surrendering to the reality of the situation is the better part of valor. At the very moment of success, the internal voice to quit and walk away is at its loudest.

Getting worn down by successive challenges and obstacles is perfectly understandable. But those in the arena often fail to see matters clearly or objectively. Too many leaders throw in the towel at precisely the wrong moment. Just when they are hours, days, or weeks from total success, slamming the brakes robs leaders of the taste of victory. Why is this so common?

The fatigue of overcoming a seemingly never-ending set of challenges and obstacles can wear anyone down. This is especially true of leaders who have the passion for achievement but forget to remind themselves daily that their enthusiasm is not enough. The perseverance to keeping going and not to succumb to a bad moment or a significant setback is as important at the end of the journey as it is in the beginning.

When the best leaders find themselves ready to surrender, they reach out to others who are not as involved and ask them for an objective view. By offering the facts and feelings of the current state of affairs, leaders can use others as a sounding board to better understand if they are reacting to exhaustion or to reality.

As the proverb suggests, the temptation to quit will always be greatest just before you are about to succeed. Before you give up on any arduous project or journey, make sure those you respect agree with you that quitting is the prudent course and not a reaction. Never forget, it is sometimes the last key on the ring which opens the door.