Did You Come This Far Just to Turn Back? Don’t Give Up Now.

There comes a point in pursuing a big vision when you may quietly wonder: Is this still worth it?

You have invested the time. Made the sacrifices. Taken on more responsibility. Filled gaps in staffing, funding and support. You have prayed, planned and worked—and somehow, the road ahead still looks difficult.

Fear creeps in. Fatigue sets in. Frustration builds.

And suddenly, turning around starts to look reasonable.

But what if you are making a decision about the entire journey based on the hardest part of it?

That is a lesson I learned in a very unexpected place: on the side of a mountain in Arizona.

I Was Ready to Turn Around

Years ago, my husband planned an anniversary trip to the Grand Canyon.

There was only one problem: I am terrified of heights.

I seriously considered getting out of the trip. But visiting the Grand Canyon was one of my husband's dreams, and I had a bigger vision for our marriage—a relationship filled with adventure, passion, excitement and new experiences.

So I went.

While driving from Sedona to the Grand Canyon, however, we found ourselves on an extremely narrow, winding mountain road. There were cliffs, sharp curves and what seemed like one terrifying incline after another.

Eventually, I had enough.

I yelled for my husband to pull over.

Sitting on the side of that mountain crying, I had a decision to make: Was I going to turn around or keep going?

I had already traveled all the way to Arizona. Turning around meant going back down the same mountain I had just struggled to climb.

So I cried out to God: You are going to have to help me. I cannot do this without You.

Something shifted.

I told my husband, "Just drive."

And do you know what happened?

We reached the top of that incline—and it was over.

The cliffs disappeared. The winding road ended. Ahead of us was a straight local road surrounded by forest.

I had been so close to the end of the hardest part, and I did not know it.

You Do Not Know That the Next Mile Will Look Like This One

That experience taught me something I have carried into leadership:

Do not make a permanent decision in the hardest part of the journey.

When I was sitting on that mountain, I assumed what was ahead based on what I could see around me.

Leaders can do the same thing.

A difficult season becomes evidence that the entire vision is failing. A disappointing result makes us question the strategy. Exhaustion makes quitting sound like clarity.

Sometimes the strategy does need to change. Sometimes the timeline needs to move. You may need different people, more resources or wise counsel.

You can change the plan without abandoning the vision.

Difficulty alone does not mean the vision is wrong.

Before You Give Up

Go back to the vision. Remember why you started and the impact you believed was possible.

Then identify what is actually making you want to stop.

Is it fear?

Are you simply exhausted?

Are you frustrated because progress is taking longer than expected?

Or has something genuinely changed that requires a different strategy?

Most importantly, go back to God about the vision.

You are responsible for faithfully taking the next step. You are not responsible for controlling how the story ends.

The ending is God's.
The results are God's.
The outcome is God's.

Do the best you know how, with what you have, faithfully take the next step—and let God finish it.

Listen to Episode 11 of Ambitious Leadership for Christians with Nicole Pride: "Did You Come This Far Just to Turn Back? Don't Give Up Now."

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