250,000,000 Reasons not to Quit: A Story of Redemption, Recruitment and Rory McIlroy

At the end of 2012 Rory McIlroy signed a $250 million 10 year deal with Nike.
For the next 12 months he had the worst barren spell in his career.
He was criticised for switching his equipment: many saying it could ruin his career.

How many times has it taken a terrible event or a disaster for you to finally say enough is enough?

Relationships you had that you knew would never work from the start, but you hung in there until the very death, too scared to break out and try something new.
Often, it takes that epic fight where you end up in a state; both wrecked with emotion - for you to finally break and say it’s done!
Why do we wait so long to make a change?

Identifying when something is a waste of effort will ultimately save you time and emotional turmoil in the end.

Replace relationship for job and it’s the same scenario; if it isn’t good now - flight or fight will eventually kick in and you’ll be back to your favourite recruitment consultant.

But it could be that you are just experiencing a tough patch, facing obstacles that could be overcome through dedication and hard work.
It’s hard to tell.

The trainer that told you to never quit was wrong!
The smart people quit before they start - identify a losing battle before it begins.
Too many goals and we get spread too thin and achieve nothing.
Focus on the wrong thing for too long and it seems impossible to stop.
We keep paddling upstream until eventually we capsize and the realisation that we’re in a lot of trouble hits us - but it’s all too late.

I spent year after year plateauing.
Doing a job that was easy, but didn’t push me.
Doing a degree that was interesting, but in my comfort zone.
Doing okay and thinking okay was enough.
I was a debt collector in a call centre for four years and I hated every minute of it.
It paid the bills, I was luckier than most.
Or was I?

An opportunity came along.
And you know what? I capsized. Quit. Took a deep breath, a pay cut and a leap of faith.
And now I look back, I should have done it years ago.
Two steps back, ten miles forward.
That isn’t the end of the story though.
The opportunity was recruitment. Great. Sales.
I’ve done that for years! Easy, right?
Except it isn’t.

My old boss said I’d be back with my tail between my legs.
Family and friends said it would be hard.
“I had a friend who did recruitment for a couple of years - she hated it, working long hours and answering calls on her day off. She couldn’t take it.” - True, it is tough.
However, it’s rewarding and challenging.
It’s hard to be good, that’s why it’s worthwhile sticking at it, because most don’t - and most don’t survive.
It is possible to get an edge on your competitors - just by doing the things you should do - consistently.

I’ve been in recruitment for a year now, most that will quit - would have by now.
It has crossed my mind.
In January it was tough.
In February it wasn’t much better.
I had a period when I first started where everything came in.
Things seemed easy and I wondered what all the fuss was about.
I think I learned quickly, but I was still green.
Beginners luck maybe?

I couldn’t make anything work.
When nothing works out and you’re on a losing streak it feels bad.
You find out what you’re made of when it gets difficult.
This would have been the time to quit. It was the market, the economy, not me right?

My friends said stick at it.
My closest colleague gave me advice... We’ve all been in this situation.
Work harder, read the books, immerse yourself in the industry, keep learning and most of all keep plugging away.
I tried harder.
Spoke to more people, kept up with the industry journals, booked courses.
Eventually it came good.

Like Rory, when the pundits and the critics told him he had been a fool to switch clubs, that he had ruined his career.
He could have easily blamed the equipment.
Agreed with the experts - but he didn’t.

He kept going and didn’t give up.
He was a pro and had experienced the dip in form before.
He knew it was a learning curve. Like anything else.
So with dedication, practice, commitment, coolness and maturity.
He broke the drought.
Won the Australian open, the British, the US and starred in a classic Ryder cup.
He won sportsman of the year 2014.

Know when to quit. But don’t ever quit something you can master.
Pick the right things to focus on and you’re on to a winner.
I’m terrible at golf. So terrible - I’m not going to waste my time taking it up.
I’d like to think I’m a good recruiter........
Getting better……. and I won’t be quitting any time soon.

This blog was inspired by 'The Dip' by Seth Godin. It’s a quick read and highly recommended.