You're Not Struggling, You're Persevering
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We call it struggle because that's exactly what it feels like. It's ugly. It's heavy, tiring, overwhelming. It feels like we are at our breaking point. No longer able to think straight, balance or take on anymore. The reality is that that is exactly what perseverance is! The exhaustion we feel is not proof that we are failing, but proof that we are still showing up, still trying, and still making our way through something that is stretching us.
That mindset shift matters because words carry weight. When we keep saying we are tired, worn out, defeated, or stuck, those words can become extra bricks on a burden we are already carrying. That does not mean we deny what we feel. It means we tell the truth with care. We can say, “This is hard,” and still remind ourselves, “We are making progress.” We can acknowledge the weight without letting the weight define the whole story.
Isn’t that what so many of us are experiencing? We are persevering at home, at work, in our health, in our families, in leadership, in uncertainty, and in dreams that are taking longer than we hoped. This is why workplace culture can never be separated from human experience. We do not clock in and stop being human. A hard morning can walk into a meeting. A stressful workday can follow us home. A leader’s unspoken pressure can land on a front-line employee who is already carrying a full life outside of work.
For leaders, this is not about excusing poor behavior or lowering expectations. It is about seeing the full picture before we react. Firing, micromanaging, escalating everything to HR, or throwing another training at the issue may feel like solutions, but sometimes those are reactive fixes for deeper system problems. If people are tired, unclear, unsupported, or constantly bracing for what comes next, accountability will feel like pressure instead of partnership. Perseverance needs structure. It needs honest conversations, clear expectations, and support that protects dignity while still encouraging growth.
This episode expresses that the in-between matters. So much so that I had to repost this episode from over two years ago. The feedback I have been receiving lately is gratitude for the encouraging and inspirational messaging. As such, I had to revisit this conversation.
We often celebrate perseverance after the victory, but we do not always honor what it feels like while we are still inside the process. The in-between is where we write things down, make a plan, break the big thing into smaller steps, and check off progress. It is where we stop dreading Monday before Monday even arrives. It is where we choose a better thought, then a better word, then a better action.
Sometimes, we say the words before we fully believe them. We say, “I forgive.” We say, “I can make it through.” We say, “I am learning.” We say, “This is preparing me.” Not because everything is easy, but because our words can become the doorway our mindset walks through. There is something deeply human about admitting that we may want to cry, but still have things to do. That is why rest, reflection, prayer, quiet time, journaling, movement, and honest support matter. We are not machines. We are people and people need places to put the weight down.
This week, I want you...yes, you...to not call it a struggle and start saying, “I am persevering.” We are learning the lesson. We are choosing not to detour just because the road feels uncomfortable. We are asking what this season is teaching us, instead of only asking when it will be over.
Tune in to the full episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, Share it with someone who needs encouragement in the middle of their journey.
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