When You Find Yourself Discouraged, Revisit Why You Got in This Business
I know there are times that you want to quit, you just want to throw in the towel. Clients get in your face, the market is working against you, things are bad, and you’re in a slump. Next time that happens, here’s a suggestion. Ask yourself why you got in the business and answer that question.
Listen to a story that illustrates how asking yourself this question will help you find courage to keep on doing what you’re doing.
I want to tell you a story I picked up from a website called Insight Works. It told the story of a young man who was a potter. He read that in South Africa the Zulu tribe was making great pottery. So he applied for an apprenticeship with them. He got a six-month apprenticeship and off he went.
When he got there, he was terribly disappointed. He expected a world-class studio. He found that he was making pottery in a stable. The roof leaked, the water wasn’t hot, he didn’t even have a room – his room was behind a wall in the stable. The pottery wheel was so bad, the pottery kept falling off. He was really discouraged.
He had a buddy visit. He was talking to his buddy and just unloaded this whole story. When he finished, his friend asked him a question, “Why are you doing this? What was your goal?”
He said, “I wanted to learn how to make world-class pottery and I wanted to experience a different culture.”
His friend said, “So what are you going to do about it?”
And the light went on. “You know what I’m going to do about it?” he said, “I’m going to fix the pottery wheel. I’m going to fix the hot water so it’s hot. I’m going to repair the roof. I’m not going to complain. I’m going to knuckle down and learn how to make pottery from the best pottery makers in the world.”
Next time you want to quit, ask yourself a question. Why are you doing this? Why are you in this business?
You’re not in this business for money. You’re in it for a much bigger reason than that. I’m guessing your business is to help people. So when times get tough, answer that question. I think it will help you get out of a slump and get back on track.
If you liked this story, watch this 2-minute video to learn how Don Connelly 24/7 can help you hone your storytelling skills, among others.
We recommend the PLATINUM membership for its best value for money – plus, for a limited time you can save $50 on your annual fee, click here for offer details and promo code.
* This podcast first appeared on Don Connelly 24/7 learning center. Check out membership benefits.
