Are you familiar with Churchill’s famous quote: “Never, never, NEVER give up!”
But how do you develop that “never-give-up” mindset? The mindset that empowers you to weather any storm, work through the toughest of challenges, overcome the odds, conquer, and succeed! That is the topic of this article.
The Mindset
We’ve all been there: staring down a seemingly impossible task, the urge to quit whispering in your ear. But what separates those who persevere from those who throw in the towel? It’s the never-give-up mindset!
This powerful mindset isn’t about blind optimism. It’s about a commitment to your vision and goals that is fueled by a few key strategies:

- Know Your “Why”: Develop a written personal vision and “roles and goals” that act as a compass in challenging times. They are your “why” for persevering. Without this purpose and compass, the winds of life can easily thwart your progress; with this compass and purpose, those same winds cannot deter you.
- Anticipate Setbacks: Expect Murphy’s Law (anything that can go wrong will go wrong) to come into play. If you anticipate and plan for setbacks, you’ll more readily work through them. So, expect resistance, and be ready to work through it.
- Change Your Language: Reframe your language about challenges and setbacks. Instead of “I can’t do this,” tell yourself, “I can do this!” At each failure, remind yourself: “This is difficult, but I’m learning and getting better.” Keep your internal voice and spoken words solution-focused and vision-centric. Always ask yourself and others, “How can we make this work?” and “What are possible solutions?”
- Go to Work: An Irish proverb says: “You’ll never plow a field by turning it over in your mind.” Work can purge the mind of doubt and discouragement. Work will also fill the mind with optimism, hope, new ideas, and a sense of accomplishment. So, when you feel discouraged, get to work, and watch it transform your mindset.
- Surround Yourself With Supporters: You’ve likely heard Jim Rohn’s quote: “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Are you around people who support, inspire, and encourage you? If not, make changes. If you struggle to find these people, listen to podcasts, read books, and attend workshops to find encouragement and support.
- Take the Long View: Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are dreams realized overnight. Stay committed to your goals, even when progress seems slow. How, specifically? Pre-week plan! When you pre-week plan, read over your long-term vision and goals, and determine what priorities you can work on this week towards their realization. Schedule them into your planner, and work your plan.
Case Study - The Boy Who Lived
Before Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling referred to herself as, “the biggest failure I know.” She was a single mother with a failed marriage. She had to fend off an abusive husband while jobless and struggling to care for her children. She battled severe depression and suicidal thoughts.
In and through all of this, she had a vision and goal to write and publish a book, and even though she felt like a “worthless failure,” she persisted. When finished, challenges still continued: the first 12 publishers who read her manuscript rejected it. However, the eight-year-old daughter of the next publisher, Bloomsbury Publishing, demanded that her father give her the next part of the story. They agreed to a limited printing of 1,000 copies. Her persistence began to bear fruit. The light began to break through the clouds.
Her career was launched, and through continued perseverance and hard work, Harry Potter has grown into a $15 billion empire that includes books, movies, toys, games, and even theme parks.

Wrapping Up
Like Rowling, have a vision and goal that inspire you and keep you steady in any storm. Anticipate and plan for setbacks, reframe the language you use to allow growth and learning, put your head down and go to work, surround yourself with supporters, and keep the long view in mind. And, always pre-week plan to execute on your most important priorities. What will happen? You’ll develop a resilient, never-give-up mindset!
“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill
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