You have been working smarter and harder than ever but have now hit the obstacle of a lack of support.
You are naturally hardworking, and you believe in yourself. And maybe you work that little bit harder because you want others to believe in you.
That is a why the lack of support hurts so badly.
Your ability to make positive progress can be hampered by people who don’t share the same dream, passion, perspective as you.
Or it might be that they cannot consider options beyond their own reality.
“I grew so depressed from the lack of support that I considered quitting. No one understood me.” – Shinya Yamanaka
Success does not happen overnight. It can be a very long journey with many obstacles in your path. Mine was no different.
You Make A Choice
I am often asked, “How do you continue to make progress despite overwhelming odds and multiple failures?”
Most of the time, I respond by saying, “You make a choice.”
The response is simple. And it usually creates frustrations. But before getting frustrated, take a moment to think about it. In reality, nearly all actions begin with a choice.
We make a decision to take action. Then, of course, the action follows from that choice.
The points on the infographic aren’t absolute ways to make forward-progress, be resilient, or to be successful.
They provide a solid starting point to begin your quest toward your goals. And when you start and then persevere it will hopefully lead you to your desired outcome.
The Elements That You Can Control
It can be a daunting task to maintain a positive focus in the face of a lack of support. At times like these, you need to focus on the elements that you can control.
“Choose to focus your time, energy and conversation around people who inspire you, support you and help you to grow you into your happiest, strongest, wisest self.” – Karen Salmansohn
Know that any outcome worth achieving requires a positive focus if we want the best chance of success.
If you are willing to exert the effort, then don’t give anything less than your very best.
How do you handle a lack of support?
Firstly, realise that we cannot control how people view us. We can only influence how they view us.
We could approach the subject with, “You know, it would mean a lot to me if you acknowledged my results.”
My Success Will Happen Regardless
Alternatively, we can get defiant and say, “To hell with what they think of me. My success will happen regardless.”
“At the end of the day, life is about being happy being who you are, and I feel like we are so blessed to have the support system and the best family to really just support each other no matter what we’re going through.” – Kim Kardashian
I believe that acknowledgement is a subtle form of acceptance. And yes, we can adopt the “to hell with you” attitude, but don’t we all want a little support, understanding and love?
Most of the time, people don’t realise the impact their words have on us.
My Mum cautioned me with, “If you can’t say anything nice then don’t say anything at all.”
So while they are not saying anything negative, that lack of encouragement feels like negativity.
It’s Not About You
When people don’t support you, we think it is about us. But it might have more to do with them than it has to do with us.
“Be strong, be fearless, be beautiful. And believe that anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you.” – Misty Copeland
We all live busy lives, balancing many demands on our time and attention.
That perceived lack of support might mean that they are so occupied with their stuff that they fail to see anyone else’s.
Enjoy the journey and remember to be your best!
You’re exceptional.
Your hard work isn’t in vain.
People are quietly watching.
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Click on the image to download The 10 Ways To Overcome A Lack Of Support PDF