START YOUR WEEK WITH THE COACH
“Great leaders never quit, they just get a new grip”
Admiral Peary made seven attempts before he became the first man to reach the North Pole. Shackleton failed in 1915 to reach the South Pole and ended up stranded for eight months on their ice-bound ship, The Endurance.
With his ship now crushed by the ice, he and 28 men took their small lifeboats and traveled 350 miles to Elephant Island. Then Shackleton and four men took a 20 foot lifeboat and sailed 800 miles through a hurricane to South Georgia Island looking for a remote whaling station.
Landing on the wrong side of the island they hiked 26 miles over a mountain range in a blizzard in 36 hours to find it. Then he went back to Elephant Island and rescued his remaining crew, not one was lost. Talk about leadership and perseverance, Shackleton has few equals.
Quitting has more to do with who you are than what you’re doing, your circumstances, or how limited your resources. I often say, “I love everyone, but I barely love losers.” Losers are not people, but attitudes. Winning consistently often requires an attitude adjustment before you see a change in your circumstances.
You can develop new skills to meet new challenges. You can create new methods and find additional resources—but without getting a new grip on your attitude, you seldom win. This is what separates losers from winners.
The Bible says, “So take a new grip with your tired hands which hang down.” Hebrews 12:12.
God never fails, but some days you just have to get a new grip on His timeless truths.