Stay the Course: Remember Why You Started
Reignite your passion and stay the course by reconnecting with your "why," overcoming setbacks, and pushing forward toward your dreams with resilience and purpose. We discuss it here!
Photo Credit: valentinrussanov via iStockPhoto.com
By: Jamila Gomez
Life has a funny way of testing you when you’re chasing a dream. That passion that once lit a fire in your soul can sometimes feel like a burden when challenges come knocking. The excitement you had when you started can fade under the weight of doubt, exhaustion, and the pressure to make things happen—especially in a world where Black excellence is expected to be twice as good just to be considered enough.
But let’s pause for a second.
Think back to why you started. What was the vision that kept you up at night? What was the dream that made you step out in faith, despite the odds? That fire you felt in the beginning is still there—it’s just waiting for you to fan the flames again.
The Weight of the Journey
Let’s be real: sometimes the journey is heavier than expected. Maybe you launched your business, but the sales aren’t rolling in the way you hoped. Maybe you started school, but the workload is pushing you to your limit. Maybe you set out to create change in your community, but the resistance has you wondering if it’s even worth it.
We’ve all been there.
The pressure, the setbacks, the moments of doubt—it’s easy to lose sight of the original vision when you’re knee-deep in the process. But don’t let temporary obstacles make you forget the long-term goal. You didn’t start just to quit.
Reconnect with Your “Why”
When the road gets tough, it’s time to ground yourself in your “why.”
• Remember who you’re doing it for. Is it for the little kid who looks up to you? The ancestors who paved the way? The future generations who deserve to see what’s possible?
• Revisit the passion. What made you excited in the first place? Sometimes, stepping away from the grind to reflect can reignite that passion.
• Acknowledge your progress. You may not be where you want to be yet, but you’re not where you started either. Celebrate the wins, no matter how small.
Keep Going—Your Future Self is Counting on You
Success isn’t about avoiding obstacles—it’s about pushing through them. Every great Black entrepreneur, artist, activist, and leader we admire had moments where they wanted to quit. But they didn’t. They kept showing up, pushing forward, and staying the course.
And now it’s your turn.
So take a deep breath, straighten your crown, and remind yourself: You are capable. You are worthy. And you didn’t come this far just to come this far. Keep going.
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Failure Isn’t a Full Stop: Keep Going
Failure is not the opposite of success but a stepping stone to growth, offering valuable lessons that pave the way for future achievements. We discuss it here!
Photo Credit: Meeko Media via iStockPhoto.com
By: Jamila Gomez
First things first: failure doesn’t define you. It’s not the period at the end of your story; it’s a comma. Messed up on a project at work? Got ghosted after putting yourself out there? Launched a side hustle that flopped? Cool. That just means you’re doing something. The people who never fail are the ones who never try.
The trick is to stop seeing failure as a reflection of your worth and start seeing it as part of the process. Every success story you’ve ever heard is full of “almost didn’t make it” moments.
The Lesson in the L
Here’s the secret sauce: failure is only a waste if you don’t learn from it. When something doesn’t work out, ask yourself why. Was it the approach? The timing? The effort? Take a hard look at what went wrong—not to beat yourself up, but to figure out how to move differently next time.
Think about it like this: every time you fail, you’re gathering data. That “bad” relationship taught you what you don’t want. That “lost” job showed you what kind of environment you thrive in. That “failed” business idea taught you a skill you’ll use in your next venture. The L isn’t a loss; it’s a lesson.
Keep It Moving
The key to failing forward is momentum. Don’t let fear of failure paralyze you. If something doesn’t work out, pivot and try again. Successful people aren’t the ones who never fail—they’re the ones who keep going, even after they fall flat on their face.
Picture this: you’re riding a bike. If you stop pedaling, you fall over. But if you keep moving, even at a slow pace, you stay balanced. Life works the same way. Keep pedaling, even when the road gets bumpy.
Failures That Built Legends
Need proof? Look at some of the greatest success stories:
• Michael Jordan didn’t make his high school varsity basketball team on his first try. Now he’s literally synonymous with greatness.
• Oprah Winfrey got fired from one of her first TV jobs. Fired. From a job in the very industry she went on to dominate.
• JK Rowling got rejected by 12 publishers before someone gave Harry Potter a shot. Now it’s a billion-dollar empire.
These people didn’t stop at failure. They learned from it, adjusted, and came back harder.
Rewrite Your Story
Failing forward means giving yourself grace. You’re going to mess up—it’s inevitable. But how you respond to failure is where the magic happens. You can either sit in the wreckage and throw a pity party, or you can sift through the rubble, grab the tools you need, and start rebuilding.
So, the next time you fall short, don’t get stuck. Get up. Look back, take the lesson, and keep stepping forward. Fail forward, and watch how those L’s start looking more like stepping stones.
Because here’s the truth: failure isn’t the opposite of success. It’s a part of it.