Here’s a tough question—one that’s easy to answer when life is going well, but much harder in the thick of adversity:
When the challenges feel heavier than you can bear, and the odds seem impossibly stacked against you, do you start to believe that your dream must just be out of reach?

Here’s the truth: no one who ever succeeded got there without facing that moment. Every climber faces terrifying ledges and brutal weather. But the ones who keep going—one shaky step at a time—are the ones who eventually reach the summit. The road to something meaningful is almost never smooth or downhill.

So if your path feels scarier, bumpier, or even darker than you ever expected it to be, you’re not alone. As long as you can take one more step, there is still something you can do.
And the path will become clearer as you continue stepping forward—one step of faith at a time, even when you can’t see the way ahead.

I can already hear you saying, “But you don’t know what I’m up against!”

And you’re right—I may not. But here’s what I do know: there are universal principles of success that apply to everyone, no matter the circumstances. Somewhere out there is someone facing worse—and still moving forward. Still determined to chase the dream, even while exhausted.

So I’m asking you: don’t give up.

The dreams that are worth living for are also worth fighting for. And if your dream wasn’t worth fighting for, then it wouldn’t be worthy of you.

Years ago, I received an email from someone who embodies this very mindset. His determination—despite enormous obstacles—inspires me to this day. And I want to share his story with you.

Here’s a man who refused to let bankruptcy define him. He prioritized learning and growth. Instead of giving up, he picked up the pieces, held onto the lessons, and recommitted to moving forward—wiser, stronger, and with deeper compassion for others walking a similar path.

Ask yourself: would you think like this if you were in his shoes?

Hello Leslie & Trevan, I bought the Mindset Mastery Program sometime early last year. I had a little resistance to writing stuff down, but wanted to make this a priority… until I had a major setback.

I took care of my elderly parents for 5 years and my mother lived to be 94. For the last 2 years she was alive, she couldn’t get out of bed without my help, so I became a full-time caregiver with no income, taking care of her 24 hours a day, living only on her social security and barely making the bills. At that time, I defaulted on a few credit cards.

In July of 2008, one of my creditors garnished my wages. They were taking 25% of my $10/hr salary, and I live alone. I didn’t want to declare bankruptcy, and I resisted it for 8 months while I was working as much overtime as possible, often working 12/13 hours a day, and barely able to meet my bills. Of course, I had eliminated as many bills as possible by discontinuing services such as television and long distance phone service, and moving out of a storage space. I had already stopped paying for house insurance.

I went without my car for 6 weeks because I didn’t have $300 for a car repair.

But I kept telling myself, there are a lot of people worse off than I am. I should be thankful for what I have. At least I have a job, even though I wasn’t able to take home my full salary.

In March, I was unable to pay my rent at the beginning of the month, in spite of all the overtime I was working. I pawned my mother’s diamond ring and paid a bankruptcy lawyer to put a stop to the garnishment. So by April 15th, I started getting my full salary again. On May 15th, I went to court for the meeting with the Trustee. All my papers were in order. It will be another few months before the bankruptcy is dismissed, but I have done my part.

Now, it’s time to get back to my Mindset Mastery Program. I did manage to send you the money for the CD’s in December. There was no way I was going to miss out on that.

I have really been enjoying them, but I have to go back and start from the beginning and write down the things I did not do the first time.

I want to concentrate on this, as I feel it is the key to my future. I still look at all of the opportunities out there, but I am aware that if I try to start or join some business with my previous mindset, I can expect the same results as I was getting before.

There is no need to jump into anything at this point. Except my Mindset Mastery Program manual!

I’m really excited about the online version. This is a way for you to open the program up to a lot of people who don’t think they can come up with the money for the regular manual (although I’m very glad I did.) There are so many people who need this! C. J.

Did you catch that? In the middle of everything he was facing, he still found something to be grateful for.

That’s not just inspiring—it’s powerful. Gratitude shifts your mindset. It opens your eyes to the step you can take next. That’s what launches what I call the Jackrabbit Factor—setting the right goal, with the right mindset, and allowing that shift to instinctively guide your next move.

Financial challenges can shake us to the core. Some people rise through it. Some don’t.

But the difference is this: mental buoyancy.
Like a ping pong ball in a tumbler of sand, if you’ve done the inner work, you’ll always rise back up—no matter what tries to bury you. But if you let yourself give in to discouragement, it’s like becoming a rock in the same tumbler. You’ll sink.

What happens in your own “shake-up” depends on the choices you make today.

So keep learning. Keep growing. Keep taking one more step.

You’ve got this. 💛

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•   To discover how to start choosing more effectively now, read The Jackrabbit Factor (FREE!)  
•   If you want more step-by-step guidance on creating the life you really want, join me in the Mindset Mastery program.
•   If you want my help overcoming that giant obstacle right in front of you, learn more and sign up for Genius Bootcamp.