Try a little harder
Whether it is a project, work assignment or your life, you have to show up every day and work hard to meet your goals. Unfortunately, many a times we stop putting in effort at the most crucial juncture. When you are ready to quit, that is the exact time that you should be doubling your efforts.
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Story: There was once a king who had two beautiful and loving wives. The older wife had been with him for much longer and loved him deeply. However, the king was fonder of his new wife who was younger and prettier. It so happened that the king was cursed and had 1,000 needles stuck to his body. Two needles ran through his eyelids, keeping them shut. After speaking to all the medics in the kingdom and finding no simple solution, the queens sat down to remove the needles one by one. Soon, the younger queen got bored with the process and decided to leave.
For many days and nights, the older queen continued the painstaking process alone. Down to the last two needles which were stuck in the king’s eyes, the older queen decided to stop and take a bath to make herself presentable for her king when he opened his eyes. Before she could come back and finish what she had so lovingly started, the younger queen walked in and swiftly pulled the last needles out. The king opened his eyes and saw his beloved young queen, assumed that she had been the one to remove all the needles, and fell even more in love with her. When the older queen arrived looking well-dressed and rested, the king banished her from the kingdom without giving her any opportunity to explain.
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Often, we take up tasks and leave it halfway because it was too difficult or time-consuming. However, it is the last stretch that is of utmost importance. Dropping the ball when you are near the finish line will just make it easier for others to pick up where you left off. So, instead of giving in to fatigue, the end of the road is the time to remind yourself that success is just around the corner.
At no point does this mean that you have to work yourself to exhaustion—pace yourself, give your heart and mind what they need to hold on and push harder, and prepare for success.