“. . . The Tough Get Going!”

“This is just too much to bear. I do not think I can continue in this race, and how did I get myself in this?”. “This stress is unbearable; I have no strength left to move on”. Many times, we make these comments and question our ability to conclude a task or even to start at all. We battle with the fear of the unknown, “what if I get it wrong”? what if it does not appear good enough”? and we say, “it is better to plan an excuse should it go wrong”. This seems to be our approach to analyzing many tough situations. As humans, what we feed our minds determines whether we succeed or not.

We all have various challenges and difficulties faced at one time or the other: similar problems but different people and approaches. So why do some succeed, and some do not? Our perceptions of the situation and the approach we adopt to fix such a situation matter. It is important to study the peculiarity of each case and analyze it by answering the basic questions of who, what, where, and when. We have learned to proffer solutions to business challenges, yet we put a hold on a part of our lives when life issues crop up making excuses for lack of time and capacity to carry on.

A good example of a tough time is having to manage an MBA program and work activities. It’s exhausting and demanding to keep up with both. To make matters more complicated, the employer believes your self-development is a cost yet to crystalize, that is, there is a probability that you are likely to make demands on salary increment, and if not well managed, they may lose a good hand to their competitors. Getting a replacement is most times more expensive or difficult to find. Hence, they become less accommodating and reluctant to support with the time required for studies. This explains why some companies will choose to sponsor educational programs for their employees in turn for guaranteed years of service.

 It is important to learn not to focus on the pain, but rather focus on the objective to be achieved. Dwelling on what you do not want works against what you want. We all have in our heads the idea of how things should go. When plans derail, let go of the pictures in your head and accept reality, then you gain the energy to fight against reality. Difficult situations should not define you or become your identity. The most important thing to do in a tough situation is not to give up. Focus on things within your control, avoid negative thoughts and get proper rest. The mind and body relaxation technique could be of great help. Life is not a bed of roses.

So, dear executive, brace up, roll up your sleeves, relax, if possible, take a short walk and say, “I can do it”. “Tough times never last, but tough people do” – Robert H.Schuller.