Refuse To Quit Taking The Next Step

​Jim Abbott recently received the Jimmy V Award, presented to a sports figure who overcame incredible odds to achieve success.

Abbott was born without a right hand, but managed to play major league baseball. In fact, in 1993, he pitched a no-hitter while playing for the New York Yankees. He also won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in 1988.

During his acceptance speech, Abbott said, "Overcoming obstacles on the mound was my way of showing what is possible when you refuse to give up."

There have been many days the last several years when I've had no idea what the next best step to take in my life was, but I've kept this mantra stashed away for just such days:

"I refuse to stop taking a next step."

Confusion about what to do next will never stop us from getting where we want to go nearly as fast as quitting will.

I learned that in my ultramarathon running days. There were many times when I lost complete sight of the finish line; I had no clue how, in my current condition, I would ever get there. But I did know how to take one more step.

I wasn't completely sure how to get to the end of the race, but I always knew how to get to the end of one more step.

I've experienced it in writing a book. There are days I have no idea how to finish up this project. But more than two decades of writing have taught me plenty about how to refuse to quit writing.

May people forget, when Abbott threw his no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians in 1993, just six days earlier that very same Indians team had rocked him. He gave up 10 hits and 7 runs in just 3 innings to them.

Many wondered if he was done.

Abbott didn't wonder. Abbott had long ago mastered the art of refusing to quit.

Maybe you have dreams today. Goals. A vision of where you want to go. And yet, the journey feels slow. Impossible. Like, what's the point?

Well, as I have learned, often through quite painful lessons, sometimes the point is to teach you the value of refusing to quit. Because it turns out there are indeed a lot of valuable answers in life, but maybe none more important than this one.

Question: What on earth do I do now?

Answer: Refuse to quit.

When you run out of ideas for what's next, start with the one thing you know how to do.

Refuse to quit.