The gritted teeth theory of success and why it’s total BS!
The gritted teeth theory of success and why it’s total BS!
By: Mike Dolpies- www.AskMikeD.com
Of course there is a price for success, just as there’s a price for failure. There’s a price for everything! But when is the price not worth it, when do you throw in the towel and stop gritting your teeth, working sixteen hour days and driving yourself crazy?
Are you a quitter if you get off of a sinking ship of which you are not the captain? Are you a quitter if you finally give up on a business venture that is going no where? Are you a quitter if you stop chasing someone else’s dreams and goals and start working toward your own definition of success?
I say NO, but with a catch and here’s the catch… If your best talents are not being utilized. If your creative energy and emotions are drained. If you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired then it’s ok to change course and peruse another dream or goal. Because you know when to get out, does not make you a quitter, it does not make you a loser!
Success is a relative term, but there is a minimum requirement, and that’s for you to not burden or tax anyone else with your choice to not produce. You can’t say, “I define success by collecting government subsidy and sucking my parents dry to support me.” You must sustain yourself and you must support your life style without getting into debt of your own or bringing someone else into debt with you.
If you are living life on your terms and not affecting anyone else in a negative way, then I’d call you successful to the degree that you are happy with where you are. If you’re not happy with where you are or what you’re doing then you have not yet achieved success!
Success comes from using and leveraging your best talents. Those talents are in your head and not in your wallet. Those talents get better and more valuable as you peruse a dream that you are happy with that brings value to others. If you do not believe in the dream that’s when you’ll be forced to grit your teeth, suck it up, and force yourself to be un-happy on a day to day basis!
But I’ve got too much invested, I can’t quit!
If you’re on a sinking ship it doesn’t matter what you’ve got invested you’re gonna lose it all anyway. It’s all going down, don’t be stubborn and foolish to think you can sit there with your small bucket and bail out the water. I know it’s hard to justify losing your sweat, and cash on a sinking ship, but it a happens all the time and it’s called the “School of Hard Knocks.”
Those who graduate from the School of Hard Knocks can emerge super successful because of how valuable the education in that school is. You can stop gritting your teeth and giving yourself pre-mature grey hairs if you realize that you can recover and will bounce back stronger than ever!
I think it’s important that you don’t beat up your own self-esteem if you choose an easier route to success than the one that requires gritted teeth!
Now let’s give you the rules that allow for the greeted teeth method so you understand that I’m not just preaching, “It’s ok to quite when things get difficult”
Rule Number 1-
It’s ok to use the gritted teeth theory if the goals and dreams are yours whole heatedly.
When it’s your goal and your dream you can justify gritting your teeth and know that your short term pain is for long term gain!
This also means that if you’ve sold others on your dreams it is up to you as a leader to keep them on track. If you sold the dream you need to take that responsibility!
Rule Number 2-
Don’t forget rule number one!
All the best!
© 2007 by Michael Dolpies
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