When you feel like quitting, try this instead

I get it. It’s cold. If you live north of I-70, there’s a good chance there is snow and ice. Everything seems more difficult in the winter, doesn’t it? Cleaning pens suddenly requires specialized gloves that won’t cut off circulation, somehow keep your hands dry, and still won’t let you get frostbite. Hauling feed now requires skill in ice skating. My personal winter pet peeve: getting dressed to go outside takes longer than the quick barn check itself.

In harsh conditions, it’s especially easy to feel like quitting.

It’s just going to freeze again tomorrow, why bother breaking up that ice?

Surely that one last chore can wait until the weekend, or spring for that matter.

You said you were going to work with your animal every day, but that was before all this snow.

Your friends have really started bugging you about not going out on the weekend with them any more, so it would easier to just blow off the chores you should really do on Saturday night.

When you feel like quitting, ask yourself, “What will I feel like if I quit?” That’s right – what will it feel like when you don’t reach your goal because you gave up your commitment? What will it feel like when you let yourself down? What will it feel like when you know you didn’t do everything possible to achieve your goal?

You know the answer.

So stick with it, go the extra mile, and tough it out. Even when the water is frozen. Even when you have to wade through a snow drift. Even when it gets really hard. Even when it takes more work than you thought. Because that builds discipline. And discipline does the work. And doing the work achieves your goals.

Marlene Eick