Much is written about following your dreams, and I believe you should. But, for most people, me included, sacrifices need to be made on the path to amazing things. And, most of the time it takes longer than you want it to. Given this reality, how do you stay happy, healthy, and focused when your goal will require substantial levels of persistence over a long period of time?

I know a bit about this because I published the manual version of the career assessment called Elevations twenty years ago. A year later I released the online version and naively thought my product would be an overnight success. Between 2004 and 2015 I was plagued by several failed software builds and unrelenting browser interface issues. I would get customers and then lose them because the assessment was unstable or buggy.

Let me also add, I am a career coach, not a software engineer or assessment designer. But I learned the hard way I needed to dive in and be hands-on every step of the way. I spent hours (and hours) mapping out the flow of the assessment, streamlining the report, proofreading, and writing assessment content. I went to trade shows, made sales presentations, and learned how to do my own social media marketing. I got tired, lost sleep and, at times wanted to give up.

This long-haul story begs the question, how did I keep going? Here are some key strategies I used that might help you, in case you’ve got a long-held dream that’s taking longer than you want it to:

Strategy One: Understand Founder’s Fatigue

If you are inventing something, or starting your own business, it can feel like the world is on your shoulders. The first few months, or even the first few years, are exciting. You are carried along with early-stage optimism but, over time, you get worn down. Finances can be stressful and doing everything yourself is lonely. Your energy becomes depleted. In quiet moments you begin to think you might need to give up. This is the hallmark of Founder’s Fatigue.

Just being introduced to the concept of Founder’s Fatigue was helpful for me. I stopped beating myself up. I am human and long-haul endeavors are exhausting. I decided I needed to make a conscious choice to heal my fatigue. I tried acupuncture, cranial sacral therapy, massage therapy, walking, more friend time, and a couple of tropical vacations with my husband. Little by little I recovered. I got my energy and my mojo back.

Strategy Two: Keep Your Values Front and Center

My desire for life balance, freedom, and flexibility motivated me to keep going. Any time I was feeling sorry for myself or utterly overwhelmed, I would remember how much time freedom I have as a self-employed person. At the deepest level, I could generate the resilience to keep going. I did not want to get a 9 to 5 job—I wanted to stay on my path.

Strategy Three: Take an Accountable Perspective

Blaming and making excuses when the going gets rough is natural but it is also self-destructive. Accountability is empowering. I would coach myself with the following perspectives: I am responsible for my choices, capable of solving complex problems, and blessed to be surrounded by brilliant friends and colleagues. My creativity and resourcefulness blossom when I take a radically accountable perspective.

My final suggestion is this: give yourself some grace. Everyone makes some poor decisions along the way. Looking back and feeling bad about missed opportunities or flawed choices will undermine your strength. Forgive yourself and trust yourself. In that space, you are unstoppable.

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