Don't give up: 7 tips for persevering in 2014

We've all seen the statistics and heard the stories: 90-plus percent of food and beverage startups fail within three years. Independent health food stores are getting squeezed by the big guys. Innovating and staying mission-focused within a corporate environment is sometimes next to impossible. The many challenges all of us face in our quest to make a positive impact through cleaner, healthier and safer food and products can at times feel so insurmountable that just giving up seems like the best option.

My challenge to you is, don't give up! And this awesome infographic I stumbled on today offers seven compelling reasons why 2014 is not the year to throw in the towel. After all, as infographic author Anna Vital notes, things always get harder right before you succeed. Anna's tips are specifically for entrepreneurs, but I think they provide a roadmap for anyone with the audacious goal of improving their communities, tackling a big problem, introducing a game-changing product or (most audacious of all) changing the world.

To get more inspiration from these seven tips for never giving up, check out fundersandfounders.com.

If you're a natural products entrepreneur, New Hope Natural Media's new NEXT Accelerator offers the information, tools, industry contacts and inspiration that can help you make 2014 your best year yet. Learn more about what NEXT Accelerator offers at nextaccelerator.com.

And for an additional boost of positivity as you start this new year, check out this free NEXT Accelerator video interview with David Simnick, cofounder and CEO of SoapBox, who offers some stellar advice on how to stop yourself from quitting—especially when you’re working so hard to change the world.

What keeps you going when the going gets tough? Please share your tips for perseverance in the comments.