Giving up is easier than holding on

So, I’m going to admit this right up front. I spent the whole day yesterday reading news, watching videos, checking graphs and stats and wiping away the odd tear. Never mind that I only switched off the light late (or rather early morning) the night before after the first results showed Obama was probably going to win. I never thought the US election result would touch me so much.

This is especially embarrassing after I have been ranting on about the length of this campaign that has seemed to be going on for ever. Let’s face it, it is one incredible achievement that this man and his support team have managed. If that’s a sign of Obama’s skills in picking good people, the government of the USA is going to have a top notch team. And is it going to need that, or what.

But it was reading another blog today that made me rethink Obama’s victory. John Unger writes about some major life experiences that he has had and what he made of them. It’s a great article and worth reading if you can relate to what it’s like to stumble and continue regardless.

Obama’s arrival at the White House could be seen as a fairy tale come true. But as with all good fair tales, there are always major hurdles to overcome before the hero gets to kiss his princess or in this case, gets the job as president of the USA.  I particularly remember an occasion when he lost to Hillary Clinton with a fair margin. It was right at the beginning of their battle for the Democratic nomination.

Obama looked somewhat surprised when asked what he would do next. With absolute calm he said that he would of course continue the fight. There never seemed any doubt in his mind that he would carry on his campaign. There was no other option for him at that moment.

It certainly reminds one of the saying that when the going gets tough the tough really get going. But how does that apply to us ordinary people? The not so tough, that give up when the going gets too hard?

What really struck me was what John Unger says about himself.  As he was struggling with huge debt and no cash after the dot com bomb he decided to pursue his passion, a career in art, rather than re-qualify for another job he would hate. With his back to the wall it was a matter of make or break.

At what stage does one give up on one’s dreams? Or do we give up on them far too easily. When it gets tough and it appears to be the end of the road do we give up with a shrug of relief and go back to the salt mines of working for a boss? It seems so much easier to give up than to suffer the stress and anxiety of worrying about not being able to pay the rent.

When you start up your own business there will be numerous times where it might seem that you have reached the end of the road. You could be finding it difficult to attract sufficient clients to make the business viable. Your money and or access to funding could be running out. You’ve been let down by other suppliers or even had your office burgled.

So when the moment comes when you think you are going to shut the doors to your business, throw away the keys and go and find a job or claim benefits, just remember that fabulous smile on Barack Obama’s face as he walked with his family onto the stage at Chicago’s Grant Park to speak to his supporters.  At the start of his campaign, what were the odds he was going to achieve that and what if he had given up when it looked hopeless?