Ep 6: Unbreakable Will: How to Keep Going When You Feel Like Giving Up

What happens when life gets heavy… and your strength starts to fade?

In this episode of Rhino Resilience, we take a deeper look at Pillar 1: Strength with an Unbreakable Will—and why strength alone isn’t enough to carry you through hard times.

When pressure builds, the first thing most people lose isn’t their strength… it’s their purpose and passion. And once that connection fades, it becomes easier to drift, isolate, and start making choices that pull you even further away from the life you want.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

•  Why your will—not just your strength—is what keeps you going 
•  How losing connection to your purpose leads to burnout and drift 
•  The “Shield” concept and why protecting what matters most is critical 
•  How to recognize when you or someone you care about is slipping 
•  Why identity is the foundation of an unbreakable will 
•  How to get grounded using the “roots” approach (and where faith fits in) 
•  Practical steps to rebuild your focus, protect your purpose, and move forward 

This isn’t about being perfect.
 It’s about staying committed—especially when you don’t feel like it.

If you’re feeling worn down, overwhelmed, or questioning why you keep going…

This episode is for you.

Learn more at Rhino Resilience Website

Transcript

0:21

Before we get into today's episode, I want to take a minute and connect this to what we talked about last time in episode five. Right? So in episode five, what we talked about. Real strength in what it actually looks like. Okay, so it's not just the loud kind, right? Not just the push harder kind and not pretending that you've got it all together. We talked about real strength being steady, controlled, built over time, and one of the key ideas in that episode was that real strength was like two sides of the same coin. On one side, you have the toughness, the ability to carry the load, to take the hit and keep going, right? But on the other side, you have control, steadiness, and the ability to stay grounded under pressure. And if one of the side is missing, it's only a matter of time before things start to crack. Now, here's what I want you to understand, that conversation. That was actually just the first half of pillar one in Rhino Resilience because pillar one, which is strength with an unbreakable will, isn't just about strength. It's about strength with an unbreakable will. And what we covered in that last episode was the foundation of that strength. But here's where most people get tripped up. You can have both sides of that coin. You can be strong and steady and still struggle when life gets heavy. Before we go any further there, there's something we need to understand about will. Okay. Because developing an unbreakable will isn't just about pushing harder. It's it's not just about discipline, it's about identity. Which is how you see yourself at your core. Because over time, whether you realize it or not, you build an identity around your life. You build that identity based on your values, your beliefs, your purpose, your faith, and you start to see yourself as I'm someone who shows up. I'm someone people can count on. I'm someone who handles hard things. I'm someone who can deal with whatever comes my way and I'll find a way. And when that identity is strong, that's what creates an unbreakable will. Because, because now you're not just doing the work, that's who you are. But here's where this really matters because. When adversity hits, when your strength starts to wane, that's not just when you start questioning what you're doing, that's when you start questioning who you are. Maybe I'm not as strong as I thought. Maybe I can't handle this. Maybe this isn't me anymore, and if that identity starts to crack, that's when things get dangerous. Because now you're not just tired, you're starting to see yourself differently. The problem doesn't try to just wear you down. It tries to change who you believe you are. And if it can do that, that's when you start letting go of your purpose, your passion, your direction, and that's when the drift begins. Strength alone isn't What keeps you going? What keeps you going when the pressure doesn't let up? You know when the days stack up, when you're feeling tired, worn down, and questioning everything is your will. So if you haven't listened to episode five yet, I strongly encourage you to go back and listen to that one because that lays down the foundation for what we're building here on this episode. But today we're gonna go deeper, right with pillar one, and we're gonna talk about what it actually means to develop an unbreakable will and more importantly. It's how you protect it when life starts to try to pull you away from what matters most. Because when life gets heavy, it's not your strength that goes first. It's your purpose. It's your passion. When you're tired, wore down, running an empty, I mean, that's when your strength dips and that's when your mind starts asking. Can I really keep doing this? Is this even worth it? You know, maybe I'm not cut out for this. And that's the moment people miss, because when strength is low, your mind becomes vulnerable and it starts pulling you away from your purpose. Not all at once, but little by little until you start drifting. You know, there's something I learned years ago when I was teaching psychology classes inside a prison, and as part of the training, they talked about something they called the shield, right? And they had us picture everything that mattered to us. Okay? You know, whether it be your family, your freedom, your career, your future. Everything that mattered what was most important to us. We wrote down on that shield and then they told us sometimes people within the walls of this prison will try to manipulate you and not always obvious, sometimes subtle over time. And then they said something that I've never forgotten. If you give in even a little. You're putting everything on that shield at risk. You know, in other words, you're wagering everything that matters most on one bad decision. Now, here's why that matters for you, because life does the same thing. I mean, when you're wore down, when your strength is low. That's when the pressure starts working on you. Why are you doing this? This isn't worth it. Just let it go and give up. And in that moment, I mean, you're, you're not just dealing with stress. You're being pulled away from your purpose and your purpose is your shield. And I've seen what happens when someone doesn't protect it. There's a guy I know, hard worker, good man, I mean, took great care of his family, but over time, stress stacked up, right? More and more things, long days, no break. And his strength started wearing down and little by little things began to shift. I'm fine. I've got this. I don't need help. He stopped reaching out. He pulled back from people. He quit doing the things that he enjoyed. Then came the coping, a drink, then more drugs, then more, then more nights like that. And here's the thing, every one of those choices felt like it was helping him, but they weren't. They were pulling him farther away from his shield, from his family, from his purpose. From who he wanted to be. And that's how it happens. Not all at once, but one small decision at a time. Now, as you're listening to this, I mean, you might be thinking about someone, you know, maybe it jogs your memory about someone you know, and maybe a friend, spouse or someone in your family, and maybe you've seen it, they're quieter, pulled back. Not themselves. And here's what I want you to understand, that you don't have to fix it, right? But you can make a difference. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is just check in. Hey, if you're doing all right, say what you see, like you don't seem like yourself lately. And then just listen. You don't need answers, just presence. Most importantly, remind them they're not alone. Because sometimes saving someone's will starts with letting them know they matter. You know, there's something I've told people for years, um, many times, and you know, when life feels like a storm type of thing. So I tell them that, you know, when a storm hits. You don't wanna be like the leaves. That's where everything is getting whipped around. Okay. Those leaves, that's your thoughts. Racing, spinning, overwhelming. And then some people might move to the bigger branches, right? I'll just grind it out. I got this. But even those can break. So where do you go during those times? You go to the roots. That's where it's steady. That's where it holds. That's your purpose, your values, your what, deep inside of you is where you go. And for a lot of people, that includes your faith because when your strength starts to go, starts to dwindle, you need something deeper than just willpower. And your faith can be one of the strongest roots you have. 'cause that faith, it reminds you that you're not alone, that there's something bigger than this moment. There's meaning in what you're going through. And sometimes man, it's as simple as help me get through this, right? Or utilize some verses from the Bible, you know, in Isaiah 41 10 it says, so do not fear for I am with you. Do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand and one of my favorites, Philippians four 13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me because when that storm hits, don't live in your head. Don't just grind it out. Get back to your roots. Before we go even further, I wanna share something personal. Okay? There was a time in my life where many, many years ago where I wasn't living the way I should have been, right? I mean, I was drinking too much, not performing well, I was just drifting through life with no direction, and for whatever reason, I kept having this image of a rhino. Come to my mind right now. At that time that didn't make sense. Now it does, but back then it didn't, you know, I actually had an eagle tattoo, which I do on my left shoulder, and that's what I identified with not the rhino that I now have for most of my arm on my right side. But it was weird how this, this bridal thing just kept showing up and looking back. It forced me to do exactly what we're talking about today because the, the wisdom, when you look at ancient wisdom of rhinos and you get that image that's coming to you, that's what it means apparently, is to step back, get grounded, figure out what actually matters. That's what I did. I did. I stepped back, I got grounded. I star started to figure out what actually mattered, what was important to me. And from there everything changed. I went back to school. I got focused. You know, I started building a life aligned with purpose. And so if you're listening to this and something is hitting you right now, this might be your moment. Step back, get grounded and reconnect to what matters most. So I wanna shift into some kind of practical steps, right? Like how do you build and protect an be breakable will, right? I don't just want to talk about it and offer you some theory here. I want to give you some practical steps that you can do on how to build and protect an unbreakable will. So. Let's just start with like number one. It is to define your why, right? Define your why before the storm, okay? Because you don't figure out your purpose when everything's falling apart. You figure it out when things are steady, so you have something to hold onto when they're not. So ask yourself, why am I doing this? What matters most to me? How do I want to be known? It's basically what are those important things to you for your life? And get specific, not just my family, but I want to be present. You know, I wanna provide, I wanna live with integrity. I wanna build something that lasts. And the biggest thing about it is make it big. Make it bold, make it strong. You need it to connect emotionally. That is something that moves you. The clearer your why is the harder it is to let go of it when things get tough. So number two, write it down and keep it visible. You know, every day read that thing. When your mind is overwhelmed, it will not remember what matters. So you can't rely on the memory. Put it somewhere you can see it. You know, your phone truck, mirror desk, wherever, wherever it might be, because when your strength dips, you need something outside your head to pull you back. But imagine what your life might be like too, living even days when it's not too strenuous, where every day you remind yourself of what's important to you, and you go out there and live your life accordingly every day. That's fulfillment. Number three is to act with purpose, right? Even when you don't feel it, because you're not always gonna feel motivated and you're not always gonna feel strong. That's normal. The truth is, feelings come and go. They're kind of like the weather. Weather changes. So do feelings, but purpose stays. So act. Anyway, small actions count. Small actions like getting up, doing the task, making the call. You don't need to feel it to live it. And number four, a very important one is to decide who you are, right? This is where you build your identity, which we alluded to earlier in this, in this episode, because this is where everything comes together. You're not just trying to get through hard times, you're building an identity. So instead of asking what do I feel like doing, you ask, who am I? I'm the kind of person who shows up. I'm the kind of person who doesn't quit on what matters. You know, I'm the kind of person who handles hard things, even when it's tough. You know, I'm the kind of person that never quits. 'cause I'm gonna find a way. There's always a way. And you burn that into your identity and that's how you see yourself. Not how you feel, but how you actually see yourself. Because when identity is clear, you don't rely on motivation, you act in alignment with who you've decided to be. Everything goes together and that's what builds an unbreakable will. Number five, you have to start looking at setbacks and failures differently because setbacks and failures are coming. That's part of it. You know, the danger isn't really the setback or the failure. What is, is the story you tell yourself about it. You know, instead of like, this isn't working, maybe you ask, what can I learn? What's my next move? Right? Because setbacks and failures don't break your will. Your interpretation of those is what does, and that leads to number six, stay connected. Don't isolate. Isolation kills your will, man, when things get heavy, people pull back. Don't I'd invite you just to reach out. Stay around people. Talk to someone, and sometimes just be around people. You don't have to talk about anything. You don't have to talk about what's going on. Just stay around people because you don't have to carry it alone. And number seven, take care of yourself. You know, protect that capacity. You can't carry a heavy load if you're completely worn down. So get that sleep, you know, move. Do something and pause when needed. You know, this stuff isn't weakness. This is how you keep going. And number eight, focus on the next step, right? You always say shrink the battlefield, right? When everything feels overwhelming, you're trying to carry too much, right? You're looking at the whole mountain instead of just a step in front of you. So bring it back. What's the next step? Not everything, just the next one. Don't focus on the whole mountain that'll overwhelm you. Just focus on the next step and then take it, then the next. That's how momentum builds you. See, you don't need to feel passionate to stay committed. You just need to decide You're not quitting on what matters most. And when life gets heavy, trust me, your purpose and passion will be tested. And I don't say that to be whatever. I just say it to be real. It's one of the things I've always done, even in my practice. I'm very real with people. It's not just some positive thinking. It's the reality of life. When things do get heavy and they will, your purpose and passion will be tested. So guard it, protect it, and most importantly, reconnect to it when you start to drift, because strength is how you carry the load, but your will is what keeps you from setting it down. And as we move forward from here. This is just, this is just the beginning because strength and will are only one part of developing true resilience, or as I call it, rhino resilience. Because in the next episode we're gonna dive into pillar two, calm and steady, and we're gonna talk about what it means to actually stay calm and steady under pressure. Even when things feel very chaotic, right? Because real resilience isn't just about pushing forward, it's about how you carry yourself while you do it, and incorporating all four of the pillars, not just one. So make sure you're watching for that next episode. You know, I'm hoping that this. Episode today, hit home for you or for someone you might know. It's always the hope that I could reach out and maybe one person out there. Here's the message and they can get it. You know, it might not be for everybody who knows, but there might be that one person out there. And if this hit home for you, share it with someone who might need it. Okay? And be sure to follow and subscribe and stay connected@rhinoresilience.com. So stay steady. We're in this together.