Biodun DaSilva: Quitting is not an Option

Humans have the natural tendency to want to quit when the going gets tough or when we perceive inconveniences or imminent threats in any endeavor.

Different people quit for different reasons, but when it involves your self-improvement, growth or your purpose, quitting is unacceptable. The true essence of our existence is to contribute to our society. We all contribute differently; some contribute their talent, skills and some apply the knowledge gained from their field of study.

The need to work tirelessly to become an outstanding version of yourself in order to fulfil your purpose is critical for your success and wellbeing. We all have our purpose for doing what we do and for being where we are. The overall goal of every individual is to ensure that our purpose is for the benefit of mankind. That is the only way we can win and navigate life successfully.

The difference between a winner and a loser is the ability to be tenacious in the face of overwhelming life challenges. Life challenges will happen whether we like it or not – it’s an inevitable part of life. There is no smooth sailing, there will be storms and turbulences that will try to stomp our hustle.

Today, more than any time in history, we have lots of successful people who are self-made, who followed their purpose and passion and didn’t quit when situations got tougher. The rise in unemployment around the world has established the fact that there’s no job security anymore. What we eventually become and how we spend the rest of our life is entirely up to us.

Whenever you see an athlete being congratulated, it’s because he won. Very few people associate with losers. Winning and losing takes the same amount of work, I’d rather opt for winning. We have lots of successful people who understood their purpose very early in life. They walked the path that led towards their success. They had an idea connected to their passion and they ran with it and never looked back.

Quitting is the easiest way out. As an entrepreneur, I recognize that in business, there are good days, bad days and extremely shitty days. I quit on those bad days, but the passion I have for what I do (and the love for the industry I’m part of) puts me back on track. I’ve quit several times, closed my shop at some point, launched and relaunched my business and designed products that I didn’t make any profit from. I have lost capital, forfeited collateral and been betrayed by associates. I have applied for business/product permits and licenses that took time to come through. I have been interviewed for jobs that I felt overqualified for but was denied. I was frustrated to the point where I thought of quitting.  I’ve had to endure so many bitter experiences, but,  I am still standing and in a much better place.

I’ve come to realize that if I don’t quit, there’s so much more to enjoy in life. All I’ve been through in life and in business has taught me a thousand ways of not making the same mistakes twice.

This is to tell you that life ain’t easy. Do not expect to go through life without a hitch but you can prepare yourself mentally and intellectually to handle whatever comes your way. There are always lessons to be learned in every disappointment life throws at you. Take it in stride and learn from it. That’s the only way to grow into an evolved and outstanding version of yourself.

It took me a long time to realize that quitting isn’t an option for me – no matter how many bumps I encounter in my entrepreneurial journey. If God had quit on the third day into the creation of this earth, humans would’ve been non-existent because we were created on the 6th day. He still hasn’t given up on us, why should we give up on ourselves.

In other to stay motivated in any pursuit, it is extremely important to identify and avoid the triggers that are responsible for the frustrations embedded in your journey. Every successful entrepreneur and athlete has, at some point, thought of quitting but chances are that they have sacrificed their blood, sweat, resources, time and effort and they want to reap the reward by purposefully sticking around through thick and thin to the end.

All the advancements in technology, economic, social infrastructure, and development we all enjoy today are the ideas and passion of individuals who believed and held on tenaciously to their dreams and saw it through to the end. We are individuals who are created and born with the purpose to fulfil a need.

Fundamentally, we all have what we need to ensure that our purpose on earth comes to fruition. A seed that will pave the way for success, growth, recognition has been deposited in us from the beginning of time. It is liberating to know that when you follow your passion and the purpose for your existence, you’d never have to work a day in your life, there wouldn’t be a need to find the balance between work/life.

‘Purpose’, for some, could mean traveling around the world, motherhood/fatherhood, photography, championing a cause for the greater good of mankind. For me, I enjoy writing to enrich lives and I’m also very business-oriented. I have a cause that addresses the need to leave a better world for the next generation and it is very dear to my heart.

Whatever you enjoy doing that resonates with your heart, soul and you find joy and fulfilment in doing it, that’s your purpose, your gift, and talent. You need to utilize it well to fill a need on earth. When you find that seed, run with it, nurture it, never quit or settle for less and your mark will be indelible on earth.