Chapter 2
QUITTING – NOT IN MY LIST OF OPTIONS
Napoleon Hill said, “Winners never quit and Quitters never win”. This statement is as true and as straightforward as it sounds.
When faced with challenges as an entrepreneur, it is normal to start making up a list of alternative options. Never to be seen on such list of options is ‘quitting’. Do not even begin considering it as a worst case scenario.
That simple consideration is what brings it in as an option and perhaps your eventual only option.
The story of Henry Ford and his goal of producing a car an average American could afford is of particular interest to me here.
You may already be acquainted with this story; however, his unwavering tenacity on his dreams is worth mentioning.
When the company he started, refused his interest to produce cars that the average American could afford since the cars already produced were largely expensive cars, he did not let his dreams die with the refusal of the company’s management.
He eventually left the company and founded another company where he fulfilled his dreams of producing cars an average American could afford. We can conclude that he learnt not to quit on his dreams. I bet you, that he made up his alternative list of options when he learnt that his initially founded company will not produce the type of cars he wanted produced but ‘Quitting’ was never on that list.
Just like it is easy to destroy than to build so it is easier to quit than to persist to realize your entrepreneurial dreams.
In order to be recognized as a true winner, learn never to include ‘Quitting’ in your list of alternative options. A popular American phrase will go like this “Don’t even think about it”. Just by thinking about quitting, it has subconsciously without your knowing, crept into your list of options and before you know it, you may start seeing quitting as your worst case scenario or perhaps your only option.
Robert Frost said, “I saw two roads diverge into the woods and I chose the road less traveled by people and the possibilities were endless”.
Accepting never to quit puts you on the less traveled road because only a handful has learned never to quit.
The good news, however, is that this road always has a happy ending but you have to persist long enough to see its endless possibilities.
From my experiences as an entrepreneur, I would like to say at this point that people who never quit are turned leaders while those who quit are turned followers.
What happens is that when you discover new lands of possibilities through the less traveled road, every other person coming after you will naturally follow your lead since you will know the ‘ins’ and ‘outs’ of these new possibilities, which you have discovered.
It is worthy to note here that even though the names and accomplishments of later sojourners in a particular field of endeavor or possibilities may be forgotten or least spoken about, the names of the founders of those endeavors and their accomplishments will never be forgotten and will always be remembered throughout history.
So you ask yourself, “what is it going to be for me?”, “in which category would I rather be classified or be recognized, a leader or follower?”
Whatever answers you give to these questions will define your next phase in your entrepreneurial journey.