To the resilient leaders, business owners, and entrepreneurs: You already know that the path to success isn't a straight line; it's more of a jagged ascent with peaks, valleys, and unexpected detours.
I was reminded of that this morning by the phrase "It's hard to beat a person who never gives up," printed on the lid of my daily oats cup. Those simple words took me back to a turbulent period—a painful divorce that rippled through my personal and professional worlds, affecting my business and putting severe financial strains on the entire operation.
This challenging chapter forced me to make some of the hardest decisions I've ever made, including letting go of several team members. The emotional toll was high, but the demands of my business didn't pause to allow me time to heal. On the contrary, the problems seemed to multiply, each piling onto the last, creating what felt like an insurmountable wall.
During these darkest hours, I thought about Winston Churchill's famous advice: "When you're going through hell, keep going." And so, with a heavy heart but an unbowed head, I kept moving forward, one step at a time.
Solving one problem after another didn't seem to lighten the burden. It was like trying to quell a wildfire with a bucket of water. The progress was so incremental it was hardly noticeable, but it was progress even if I couldn't see it.
A business advisor told me it might be time to call it quits, to walk away and start anew. It was tempting to do just that: to accept defeat as a way out of the misery. But every time I entertained the thought, Churchill's words echoed in my mind as a mantra, providing solace and inspiration: "Keep going."
I chose to show up another day and then another because I knew that the end of this chapter wasn't the end of my story. Today, I can look back and say that resilience carried me through one of the most challenging periods of my life.
The funny thing about persisting through adversity is that you grow stronger with each trial you overcome. Before long, I noticed the business was turning around, and my personal life was on the mend.
It's often said that it's not just about how hard you hit but how hard you can get hit and keep moving. In business, as in life, your resilience—your ability to get up after you've been knocked down—defines you.
If you're in a rough patch right now, remember the tide will turn. Keep showing up, keep confronting the challenges head-on, and keep believing in your ability to turn things around.
Success isn't always about the wins; sometimes, it's about weathering the storms so you're still standing when the skies clear. Keep going; your future self will thank you.
