Five Reasons Why You Should Never,
Never Give Up

Great success comes from time, tough skin and even a failure or two...

By Andrea Fitting
President and CEO, Fitting Group

You've undoubtedly heard the proverbs and advice in many forms — those who stay motivated, win. This belief is supported through all of history by the countless stories of people who overcame many obstacles before they eventually succeeded. But perseverance gets more difficult the longer you try without reaching the goal. So here are five more reasons why you should keep your eye on the prize.

1. Others will be inspired by your refusal to give up.
   Some of our self perceptions come from our associations, which is why people want to be associated with other successful people and businesses. We believe we have bragging rights if we're friends with Bill Gates or we shop at the most popular stores or own the best-regarded brands. The very fact that our friends are successful or our possessions are popular makes us believe that others would approve of us too, if only by association. This is buried deep in human psychology — so learn to use it. Be proud of overcoming obstacles and talk about it. Customers will be drawn to your business because of your tenacity and will reward you for it.
2. Customers believe your actions more than they believe your words.
   This is a cynical world and customers are more sophisticated than ever, in every sector of the economy. Goods and services easily become commoditized, so people look for reasons to buy from you beyond the face value of what you provide. Of course, price and quality and convenience all play an important role. But when others things are equal, your consistency and dependability influence purchasing decisions and can help you grow a loyal and enthusiastic customer base.
3. Investing time and skill brings bigger returns the longer you do it.
   Just like practicing the piano or playing sports or investing your pennies, the more and longer you do it, the bigger the payoff. You hit fewer sour notes, and after years of dedication, you become the life of the party sing-along, attract more friends and always get the girl. OK, well maybe that last part is an exaggeration, but you get the picture. In business, you can benefit from a snowball effect too. Your success grows as your efforts continue to gain more mass and surface area, picking up even more success and momentum as it rolls along.
4. When the going gets tough, the competition folds.
   One of the benefits of being in business for a long time is watching your weaker competitors come and go. Economic cycles are inevitable in business. Some cycles are difficult for particular industries and some are difficult for everyone. Economic downturns thin the herd by forcing mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcies and other processes that leave fewer businesses to compete when demand picks up. What's surprising is the number of businesses that simply fold because the owners just give up. It's not easy or fun to struggle through hard economic times, but smart and tenacious entrepreneurs know that the lean years must be accounted for and endured to reach their ultimate objectives.
5. Great success is just one step beyond discouraging failure.
   If you read the biographies of the greatest inventors and successful entrepreneurs, you will notice a recurring pattern. Most of them had many dismal failures before they changed the world with their ideas. To paraphrase one of Thomas Edison's most famous quotes, he hasn't failed; he just knows 1,000 ways a light bulb won't succeed.

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