"Am I a Quitter?"

Shark Tank and Dragons Den Star Robert Herjavic is an avid runner that runs about five miles each day. This is no easy task when you think of the magnitude of Herjavic’s multiple businesses, philanthropy work, family commitments, and the numerous projects he has on the go.  

At the age of 60 that is quite the feat, however, he feels that without this in his daily routine he just wouldn't be able to succeed at the level he does. What is also interesting is that on every run he does he faces the challenge of quitting, and it will tempt him on almost every occasion. How he resists the urge of what his body and mind might be telling him is very simple.

Robert uses the simple question “Am I a quitter?” By asking himself this question when he faces a difficult run, he has found a way to fight through the immediate pain and complete his goal to the finish. This he feels, builds discipline and discipline builds habits. With good habits come success and he has found a way to succeed in his realm of fitness.

What’s great about good habits is they usually spill into other areas of one’s life and for Robert, this is evident in his business and professional life. If it’s simple and it works for Robert, you might be thinking why can’t more of us do the things we know are good for us? Perhaps we need to take a page out of Herjavic’s book and use that question the next time we face a challenge in karate, at school, at work, or at home.

If it works for something as simple as a run why not use it to condition ourselves to keep working towards our bigger goals? Sure, you may need to break things down into smaller tasks and apply the quit question each time but it’s going to change your outcome on every occasion.

So next time you face that monster challenge, and you want to throw in the towel see if Robert’s quit question is right for you but remember to answer the call with passion.

“Am I a Quitter?” “No Sir!”

Sensei Chris