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As we begin this Friday, I am filled with excitement and anticipation. I leave for Guatemala on Sunday, and will be there for a full week. The John Maxwell Team will spend about 1-1/2 days in training, learning the new Transformational Leadership material from John, and then we will each train small groups (about 40 people per training, for several hours each day) over the course of the next three days. We will be teaching business leaders, government leaders, teachers, law enforcement officers, and members of the clergy. It’s going to be a phenomenal week and I am so looking forward to this opportunity.

I still have a few things to do to prepare…like pack! And, I’m looking ahead to the weeks that follow, as I have a lot going on.

This month’s topic is very relevant for me, as I build my business, perseverance is critical. Each and every day, I am planting the seeds that will allow my business to grow; I must be patient while the seeds germinate and eventually sprout and thrive. As you can imagine, a lot of things happen that could be quite discouraging, but I must not lose faith. I am beyond 100% confident I have found my calling, and I will allow nothing to deter me from making this work.

What about you…what are you passionate about that you are driving toward? What first steps can you take this weekend, that will allow you to persevere on your journey?

What else needs your time and attention?

What relationships do you need to nurture? Build? Repair?

What do you need to do for you?

What can you do over the weekend to set yourself up for success in the coming weeks?

Have an intentional weekend, and I’ll “see” you Monday!

Time to get your journal out and spend some time writing about the following questions today (and, really, over the next week — if you want a fuller experience with this):

Why is taking the first step to persevere so important?

What factors may help you to take the first step?

What can you gain by persevering in your personal and professional life?

Of course, I can speak only for myself…but it really takes a lot to get me to quit on something I am interested in or passionate about. I have to have exhausted every avenue I can imagine to make something work before I move on. And I rarely have a Plan B! I generally approach things with this mind set — I may not know everything I need to know, or everyone I need to know, and I may not feel as if I have every resource will need right in my immediate grasp, but I trust that those things will become available as I need them, I will learn along the way…and unless it’s nuclear physics or brain surgery, it doesn’t occur to me that I can’t succeed.

So…if it’s a true passion, I just keep going!

What about you?

As you spent some time yesterday reflecting on stories of perseverance, including your own, take some time today thinking of more examples of when you persevered in difficult situations. What were the first steps you took in each of those situations?

Situation 1:

First Step:

Situation 2:

First Step:

Situation 3:

First Step:

Now that you have it written out in black and white, do you see any commonalities in the first steps you take in persevering against the odds?

Now the key is to apply what you’ve learned and take a first step to persevere through a challenge you are currently facing.

What’s your current situation?

What first step will you take?