You’re doing everything right—or at least, that’s what it feels like.
You have clear goals. You’ve defined exactly what success looks like. You’ve mapped out a detailed plan to get there. You’ve invested in the right tools, the right coaching, the right knowledge. Yet, despite all of this, you keep running into resistance.
Every time you start to gain momentum, something happens.
An economic downturn. A key employee leaves. A major client walks. A new competitor enters the space.
Maybe you get buried in compliance issues or face competitors slashing their fees in a race to the bottom.
And this isn’t the first time. It’s the third time, or the fifth time, or maybe even the tenth time that you’re staring at yet another roadblock. It’s frustrating. It’s exhausting.
Most people, at this point, start to wonder:
“Is this a sign? Maybe this isn’t meant to be.”
“Am I just not cut out for this?”
“Should I just pivot and try something else?”
Here’s the truth: This is exactly where 99% of people give up.
Not because they’re incapable. Not because they don’t have the knowledge. But because they haven’t yet mastered the one principle that separates those who build wealth from those who merely dream about it—persistence.
Why Most People Give Up Before They Win
The numbers don’t lie. 20% of small businesses fail in their first year, and 50% don’t make it past five years (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). But here’s the kicker—most of these businesses don’t fail because they weren’t viable. They fail because the owner simply gave up too soon.
Thomas Edison said it best: “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
Success in business follows a simple truth: those who persist, win.
Growing up, my dad always said, “God gets no glory in quitting.” He drilled this into my head. “Start something and see it through to completion. But if you do want to quit, always quit on your very best day. If you can quit on your best day, then it’s okay.”
That advice has stuck with me for life because it exposes a powerful truth—most people don’t quit on their best day. They quit on their worst. And that’s why they never see success.
Take Howard Schultz. When he tried to raise funding for Starbucks, he was turned down 242 times. If he had given up after the 100th rejection, Starbucks wouldn’t be a global empire today.
So, if you’re sitting there wondering if you should throw in the towel because it’s too hard, too frustrating, or taking too long, realize that you might be on the verge of your biggest breakthrough yet.
The Reality of Resistance: Why Business Growth Feels Like a Fight
No one talks about this enough. Growing a business—whether you’re a financial advisor, a lawyer, or a landscaper—feels like war at times. You’re constantly fighting for:
- More revenue without drowning in more hours.
- Better clients who value what you do.
- Employees who don’t quit when things get tough.
- A business model that scales without you having to do everything.
It’s tempting to believe that the struggle means you’re on the wrong path. But what if the struggle is actually the proof that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be?
Warren Buffett once said: “The stock market is a device for transferring money from the impatient to the patient.”
That doesn’t just apply to investing—it applies to business. The ones who win are simply the ones who stay in the game longer than everyone else.
What Persistence Actually Looks Like in Business
Persistence isn’t about blindly repeating the same failing strategy. It’s about consistently refining and improving your approach until you crack the code. Let’s look at two real-world examples:
A Financial Advisor Who Refused to Quit
Meet Sarah. She left a big-name firm to start her own Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) firm. She had a niche—business owners with $2M+ in assets—and a plan. Yet, three years in, she was stuck at $500K in revenue. Growth had stalled.
She had problems:
- Clients weren’t sticking around long enough for her to make a meaningful impact.
- Big firms were undercutting her on fees, making her look expensive.
- Her marketing wasn’t attracting the right leads.
She considered selling. Maybe going back to the corporate world. But instead of quitting, she adapted:
- She redefined her client experience—making onboarding seamless and offering deeper value.
- She built a referral system that turned her best clients into her biggest advocates.
- She restructured her pricing to highlight long-term benefits rather than just fees.
Three more years later, she had $2MM in Revenue with a growing team and an eight-figure valuation. The difference? She refused to quit.
A Landscaper Who Refused to Stay Small
Jose had been running a landscaping business in South Texas for nearly a decade. He had two trucks and five employees and was stuck at $850K a year in topline revenue.
Every time he tried to grow, something went wrong:
- Finding good workers was a nightmare.
- Equipment repairs ate up his cash flow.
- Bigger competitors drove prices so low he couldn’t compete.
He thought about shutting it down. But instead of walking away, he made a shift:
- He stopped competing on price and niched into high-end luxury properties.
- He automated marketing, using social media and referrals instead of cold calling.
- He built a culture that made good employees want to stay.
Today, his company generates $6.2M+ a year, runs efficiently, and dominates his niche. The only reason he made it? He stayed in the game.
Final Thoughts: Will You Be the One Who Lasts?
Let’s be honest: Most people won’t make it.
Not because they’re not capable.
Not because they don’t have the skills.
But because they quit too soon.
Galatians 6:9 reminds us: “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
So, the question isn’t “Will my business work?” The question is “Will I last long enough to see it through?”
Let’s talk if you’re ready to push past the resistance and finally scale your business without burning out. Schedule a Free Strategy Call with one of our business strategists to see if our membership coaching program can help you break through the resistance and reach your desired outcome in a more time-efficient and cost-effective way.
Because at the end of the day…
Quitters never win. And winners never quit.
