While reading news of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, I came across the story of Eliud Kipchoge. In 2019, the Kenyan long-distance runner ran the marathon distance of 26.2 miles in 1:59:40, which remarkably broke the magical 2-hour barrier.
As is my custom when I hear unbelievable success stories, I did a little more research. Interestingly, Kipchoge was raised by a single mother, who was a teacher. Because he lived in a remote area in Kenya, he attended school by running the two miles each day.
During one interview, the Kenyan marathoner made a comment that resonated with me: “No human is limited.”
Quitting is Easy
Long ago, I heard someone say that the easiest thing to do is to give up … to quit. In fact, this speaker states that no energy is required to stop trying. It is just a matter of no longer attempting to do something that requires effort.
Back in 2015, I was fed-up with a client who constantly complained about the quality of work we were providing to their organization. The situation had become so difficult I was ready to cancel the contract.
I no longer wanted to deal with the situation, even though I had a legal obligation to meet the requirements. I figured we could work out the details and separate.
Before contacting the client, I called a friend who knew of the situation to ask for her advice. She listened to my complaints and to the many excuses I shared.
She said, “It sounds like the client has been difficult to work with during the past few months. However, I’ve never known you as a quitter. I’m 100% sure you can set up a meeting and work out any of the differences. It would seem to me you know the right thing to do in this situation.”
One thing I appreciate about my close friends is they are brutally honest with me. Yes … they will support me, but they are prepared to challenge me when necessary, especially when they see a professional growth opportunity.
The Rest of the Story
I contacted the client and scheduled a meeting to discuss the differences. As it turns out, there were only a couple major areas for improvement from our part, and we could turn things around within a month or so.
I’m happy to report that we completed the contract requirements with flying colors. In fact, this client is still on the books.
Stick with It
It’s naïve for me to tell you that you must never look for options. There are times when we must stop doing something, especially when the impact has negative consequences on our family, health, or finances.
However, before you choose to move on from a difficult situation, consider sound and honest advice from people who are willing to help us. For most of us, there is at least one go-to person who will provide objective feedback based on our situation.
Therefore, let’s do what we can to press ahead even when the situation looks difficult. The light might be dim, but it is unmistakably there.