The Courage to Continue

Last week I shared the language of leadership from Winston Churchill, which reminded me of another Churchill example that has grown increasingly meaningful to me over the years.

The year was 2011. It was our inaugural ADDO event. Around 700 leaders gathered for the ADDO Gathering, headlined by several prominent leaders, including Hall of Fame Football Coach Vince Dooley.

Coach Dooley was a mentor and a friend. He passed away a few years ago at 90 years old. Even at the time of him speaking at our event, he was almost 80. He was far more than just a football coach who had won a national championship. He was a historian, a horticulturist, and a Marine – a renaissance man if there ever was one.

He stood on stage that day and repeated the Winston Churchill quote that has since become etched in my mind:
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."

I'll be honest – as someone still in my twenties at the time, I wasn't sold on that line. Does it really take courage to continue? And is that really what counts? In my mind, winning counted. Results counted. Achievement counted. Again, I hadn't even reached the age of 30.

But time has shown me that Churchill (and Coach Dooley) were right. With age comes experience, and with experience comes wisdom.

I've had my share of successes over the years. Moments where the vision came together perfectly, where the team executed flawlessly, where the impact exceeded expectations.

But I've also had business deals where I swung and missed.
I've felt the sting of criticism from colleagues I respected.
I've experienced moments that tested my resolve.
I've endured the sleepless nights wondering if an initiative was worth continuing.

And I'm guessing, if you've lived long enough, you have too.

So my encouragement today is simple but important: continue.

Continue when you encounter resistance.

Continue when you experience rejection.

Continue when you feel like no one understands your vision.

Continue when the path forward isn't clear.

Continue when you're tempted to take the easier route.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: if you have a pulse, you have a purpose.

And since you have a purpose, the world needs what you have to offer.
And since you have something to offer, we need you to continue.

Your courage to continue might just be the difference between a good idea that dies and a great impact that transforms lives.

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