Today, I officially closed down a non-profit organization I started over three years ago to improve the entrepreneurial environment for high growth entrepreneurs in Ohio. It was a surprisingly easy and rewarding thing to do in many ways. I believe it is because I gave it my best shot and I know that failing, quitting, and adapting are all part of the road to Thriving Success.

If we are to having lasting success in life and in business, we must never lose sight of our grand vision, must always preserve our core, and must always be stimulating progress toward our vision.  Jim Collins and Jerry Porras found this to be a part of all the lasting successful companies that they studied and reported in "Built to Last."  One fundamental conclusion of their study was lasting successful businesses must "preserve the core and stimulating progress."

"It is better to be prepared for tough times and not have them than to have tough times and not be prepared." -- Mark Webb

Jim Collins would follow-up his subsequent research on Good to Great companies by also studying Good to Great Social Sector organizations.  Jim Collins' findings were consistent for all three pieces of research, "great organizations keep clear the difference between core values (which never change) and operating strategies and cultural practices (which endlessly adapt to a changing world)."

For me, the non-profit organization was an operating strategy or practice. It was a specific vehicle or mechanism for achieving a grand vision.  The strategy or practice may have failed. Thus, it is a sound strategy to quit putting energy into it and quit doing the things associated with it that were pulling me away from more valuable and impactful activities that will allow my grand vision to become a reality.

Failure happens all the time.  It is how we respond to failure that counts most.  The only real failure is giving up on your vision or dreams!  Quitting is an important strategy.  Jim Collins refers to it regularly and often when he advices leaders to make sure they have a "Stop Doing List" as part of their toolbox.  Seth Godin advises us to know the difference between strategic and tactical quitting in his book titled "The Dip."  He states "never quit something with great long-term potential just because you can't deal with the stress of the moment."

"It is not the strongest of species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change." -- Charles Darwin

Once, we have made a decision about the strategic value of quitting, we must then move on to adapting if we are succeed in the long-run.  Depending on the quitting decision, we can adapt by:

• applying a whole new strategy or practice
• finding ways to more effectively deal with the stress of the moment
• learning to manage our stress and recovery cycles better
• build new skills to apply the initial strategy or practice more effectively and efficiently

You will find this to be a part of your road to thriving success whether your helping entrepreneurs, executives, and organizations succeed, like I do, or you are doing something completely different like attending your first year of medical school.  I was counseling a first year medical student on this very thing last night.

Embrace this perspective on failure, quitting, and adapting and you will find ways to thrive in all areas of your life!
(c) Copyright 2009 Jon L. Iveson, Ph.D.

About the Author: Jon L. Iveson, Ph.D., The Champion's Coach, is a Gazelles Certified Coach who helps individuals and companies survive and thrive in tough times. Access Jon's FREE 21-page e-Book on "The 8 Steps to Thriving during Tough Times" and other valuable resources at http://www.ThrivingduringToughTimes.com Stay informed on new resources and information by JOINING the "Surviving and Thriving in Tough Times" Group on LinkedIn. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_L_Iveson