When You’re Going Through HELL, Keep Going!

How Your Challenges Bring You Success
“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” –Winston Churchill

Life is full of challenges. The mere act of living creates contrast between what you want and what you don’t want. Which is wonderful because experiencing what’s unwanted – also known as a challenge – brings you much greater clarity about what you do want.

In other words, the times you struggle are ripe with enormous potential to define your path to success.

An Easy Life Isn’t Necessarily A Successful One

Sounds counter-intuitive, right? Surely if you got everything you wanted and life was easy, you’d be much more successful?

Well, think of it like building muscle. When you do resistance training, your muscles grow. You challenge yourself by increasing the weight you lift. By working through the challenge of lifting a heavier weight, you reach your fitness goals. The same principle applies for achieving the success you seek; by working through your challenges, not only can reach your goals but you can hone the details and get clear about what you want to achieve.

There will be days when you want to give up.

Exhausting times when you feel you can’t take one more step. When you want to lay your head down and weep.

When you do, pause. Rest. Rejuvenate.

But only for a brief time.

And then carry on.

Because you won’t forgive yourself if you quit.

You’ll forever wonder what you could have accomplished if only you hadn’t given up.

And you don’t have to struggle alone! Reach out to someone you trust: a friend, mentor, family member, or coach. Share your story. Let them know about your dreams and goals. Ask how they can support you.

Sometimes you need is someone to be a sounding board while you bounce ideas off them. Someone to keep you honest when you can’t clearly see your situation, you’re feeling discouraged, and you want to give up. And someone to celebrate your victories with you, no matter how big or small.

Challenges Are Fertile Ground

I know it’s asking a lot to want you to view your challenges as something positive.

Some days it’s easier than others.

But what if you really got, in your bones, that struggle is a precursor to success?

You will learn to appreciate the times you’ve been challenged. You become a person who sees the positive aspects in all of her life experiences; who feels grateful for her opportunities; whose optimism inspires not only herself but those around her.

Overcoming your challenges brings gratitude, an essential component of an excellent life. When you regularly look for things in your life to be grateful for, you cultivate a mindset that challenges are positive and failure simply doesn’t exist.

Be Ready For Success On Your Terms, Not Anyone Else’s

I don’t wish hard times on anyone. I’ve just been around long enough to know that life throws us curve balls all on its own. And when it does, I want you to be ready to knock that ball out of the park.

Maybe not the first time.

Or the second.

But I want you to face your struggles head on and dig deep for the treasure within them:

Clarity
Ease (Yes, ease can flow from struggle!)
Contentment
Fulfillment
Leading, ultimately, to a successful life, however you define success.

And that’s the truly great part. Success will be on yourterms, not anyone else’s. Your life is unique. There’s no one else who can experience it, live it, and respond to the circumstances. This uniqueness in turn makes your goals, dreams, and aspirations unlike anyone else’s.

You’ll Be Grateful For Your Struggles

I promise you, one day you’ll look back and be grateful for the times you struggled. Because those challenges brought you personal fulfillment you couldn’t have discovered any other way, just as a beautiful pearl can’t be formed without a grain of sand in an oyster provoking irritation.

When you’ve moved through your struggles, your life will become that pearl.

So when you’re going through hell, keep going. Even if you pause to rest, you’re not quitting—you’re building more perseverance. Hold your head high and carry on. You’ll be glad you did.

If you’d like to know more about how I help clients develop strategies tailored to their specific circumstances and needs, my book Happiness, Passion, and Purpose is packed full of exercises and strategies you can put to use immediately. The book will be available in early 2019. In the meantime, you can sign up at www.razcoaching.com to be added to my mailing list.