In business (and life) we have to fight.
Fight for our clients. Fight for our beliefs. Fight for our ideas to be heard and understood why we’re presenting them.
Fight for our value and worth.
Choosing when to fight, though, isn’t easy. Even though there are times when we know we are so right, no matter what we say it’s going to be viewed as wrong.
It takes a lot to walk away at times like these.
You put in a lot of work. Man hours, development hours, project hours. But that’s the work stuff – you expect that. There’s also the personal hours away from those you love.
But you do it, because you’re doing it to make a better life for those you love. That’s why you fight.
Pride comes into it too. You can see why those that are fighting with you are having qualms, but you also have the solutions to those qualms. Or at least you would, if they would let you.
But they don’t.
So now you have to decide, do you fight or do you surrender?
Surrender isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It smooths the water and allows you and your combatant’s ships to sail more easily in the same waters again. And everyone loves plain sailing.
But every sailor knows the next big storm is only one grey cloud away.
So now you’re back to fighting. But how long do you allow a fight to go on before realizing it’s only creating lasting damage? How long before you’re punch-drunk and unable to fight any more? And not just with this opponent, but every single one from now on?
Anyone can fight. Some can fight better than others, and for longer.
The question is, are the victories sweet or bittersweet? Are they even victories at all?
photo credit: Profound Whatever