When one of my Little League hitters is intimidated by the pitcher, they'll step toward third base as the pitch approaches. It's next to impossible to hit the ball when this happens, so I encourage them to stay in the batter's box instead of bailing out.
When I'm doing a work task that seems to be taking forever, it's extremely challenging to stay on task and get it done. So I try to remind myself (to varying degrees of success) to stay in there instead of bailing out.
Whether we're on the baseball field or the field of life, it's always easier to bail out on the hard, challenging stuff. But staying in there is the only way to give ourselves a chance to complete the task at hand.
Staying in there takes lots of practice. When I feel like bailing on work, I try to think of staying in there like working out. Not quitting is strengthening my focus muscles and my perseverance muscles. In the same manner that I might tell myself, "One more rep" at the gym, I'll tell myself, "One more minute" on some less-than-interesting task.
It's always easier to bail out. But we don't get any better, or learn anything, or give ourselves a chance to succeed when we do this. Let's focus on staying in there today, wherever "there" may be.
Make it a great day!
Coach Chris