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Success Advice

What To Do When You Want To Give Up

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When you shoot for the stars you risk falling flat on your face; and while you may bounce back quickly the first time, for many, it becomes more difficult to rise again when the pathetic results don’t match the tremendous effort.

Winston Churchill said, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm”.

Well what if you have lost enthusiasm?

What happens if you have hit rock bottom and want to give up?

Consider these four strategies before you throw in the towel:

 

1. Learn the lesson

What’s the point of experiencing the pain of failure if you’re not going to capture a valuable lesson from it? The more you’re willing learn from failure, the less it will intimidate you. When you experience those slumps, refuse to sell yourself the sob story of, “It’s because I’m just not good enough”, or “It’s just not meant to be”; you don’t learn lessons from that kind of self-talk! Instead, focus on improving your strategies; “What am I doing wrong?” or “How can I stay more focused?”

Questions to consider:

–       How can this set back make me stronger?

–       What can I learn from this failure?

 

2. Revisit your motivation

When things are bad, negativity will keep you from seeing things as they really are. Rather than focusing your attention on all of your deficiencies, take a few minutes to reflect on why you decided to take this journey in the first place. Keeping things in perspective will give you the strength to keep your head up and run against the wind.

Questions to consider:

–       What do I want to accomplish?

–       How do I want to be remembered?

–       What do I want to become in the process?

 

3. Make a plan

Its been said,

“Without a plan, there’s no attack. Without attack, no victory.”

The key to triumph is to plan for it.  Rock bottom is the perfect place to start building, so while you’re down there, design the blue print for your future success.

Questions to consider:

In order to be successful…

–       What do I need to start doing?

–       What do I need to stop doing?

–       What do I need to continue to do?

 

4. Keep it simple

Refuse to fall into the trap of trying to make up for all of your mistakes at one time. If your plans for success require a complete mental and behavioural overhaul—start small. Focus on one thing you need to improve, and develop it until it becomes a habit; then move on to the next one. When you’re starting over, you need to recommit to focusing on the process; and if you consistently do so, the results will follow.

Questions to consider:

–       What are my priorities?

–       What can I control right now?

If you’re currently lying on the canvas listening to the referee counting you out; take courage in knowing that anyone who’s ever achieved great things has experienced the pain of being knocked down—so you’re in good company. Take a deep breath. Get up. Get going.

Justin Su'a in an expert in sport and performance psychology, the author of, "Parent Pep Talks” and the Head of Mental Conditioning at the IMG Academy, the world-leading provider of athletic and personal development training programs for youth, adult, collegiate and professional athletes, located in Bradenton, Florida. Follow Justin on Twitter: @justinsua

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Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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