I want to chat about something that I’ve been thinking about lately. This topic has been bothering me and boils down to the idea of not giving up. I want to address the idea that giving up is always tragic and horrible and that nobody should do it.
The general consensus in society is that you’re not supposed to give up if you want to succeed. We’re told never to give up, that persistence is essential and critical, and that anything worth having is worth fighting for. For most of my life, I believed this. I held on to people, jobs, and dreams because walking away meant I wasn’t strong enough—a failure.
You see this mantra spouted online, hear people talk about constantly grinding and hustling, and read the quotes about quitters never win and winners never quit. We often stay in these situations because we fear what leaving might mean. What if we regret it? What if giving up makes us weak?
Honestly, not quitting is terrible advice. I used to believe I could accomplish anything I wanted as long as I worked hard enough and stayed focused. I thought that if I never quit, I would achieve no matter the external circumstances. But I learned that sometimes, it’s just not in the cards.
Sometimes, the universe tells you that this isn’t going to happen the way you think it will. I firmly believe you can accomplish anything you set your mind to as long as you figure out how to achieve that dream or goal. But on the journey to success, you must try many different angles and methods to accomplish that goal.
There’s strength in knowing when to let go. Quitting isn’t failure but a way to make space for something that aligns with who we’re becoming, not who we used to be. Never giving up and never quitting sounds empowering, but at some point, that mindset can become more like a cage than freedom.
To reach the pinnacle of success, you must try different tactics and strategies to get closer to the goal. But some things you will try aren’t getting you any closer to that dream, and this is where you must pay attention. This is where all those sayings about never giving up won’t stand up.
Wisdom and guts are knowing the difference between worthwhile efforts and Sunk Cost Fallacy. The key is not missing out on other opportunities while clinging to something that isn’t working for you. Your venture, goal, or dream becomes a fallacy when an alternative with greater chances of success is visible. Still, you reject it because you have committed resources to a decision that isn’t working. That’s not logical.
When you develop your tactics and strategies for your individual path to success, if you try something that doesn’t work and then you try it again and again, at some point, you have to identify those actions that aren’t working and quit. The faster you can identify those areas in your life, the quicker you can stop them like a bad habit. These aspects are pulling you further from success, and the quicker you quit them, the faster you can try something new.
Try things for a little while, and if they don’t work and get you closer to your goal, quit. A famous quote that says the definition of insanity is doing the same things repeatedly and expecting different results. If you’re doing something and not moving closer to your dreams, quitting and pivoting to another opportunity or direction is critical. Giving up is not a horrible or damaging step.
What also pisses me off is people saying not to give up on your hopes or dreams. That’s not true either. It’s okay to decide that something you thought would be your ultimate goal isn’t anymore. You’re not a quitter if you try and it doesn’t work out. It just means that you’ve lost the passion and that XYZ doesn’t necessarily equal success to you anymore.
We all evolve, and part of that process is letting go or giving up on some things we are doing. That is with life. To be healthier, you must give up some detrimental aspects, whether in relationships or marriages, jobs or careers, and more. You have to move on to be successful and happy ultimately.
There’s nobody else in this world you need to be responsible for other than YOU. The faster you realize this, the more you understand that you’re the only person you need to hold accountable. Sure, you may try every aspect to achieve your goal, but possibly, at the end of the day, the universe is telling you this isn’t what you need to be doing.
Be able to step back and reevaluate your situation. You will often find a window pops open when life shuts the door. Giving up your dream sucks, but sometimes the universe tells you that this isn’t what is in store for you. And that’s okay.
There’s no shame in stopping something you thought would be your ultimate. It’s okay because things change, perceptions change, and sometimes trying doesn’t produce results. It’s time to try something else.
Keep your eyes open and look. When you find something that interests you, try it. If you had told my younger self that I would not have a gym and be doing something else, I wouldn’t have believed you. To me, there was no other option. That was my only goal. That was my only dream. And then I realized it wasn’t the direction the universe wanted for me. I had to choose between keeping going even though it was destroying me or reevaluating what success looked like.
Seeing people online say never give up has been bothering me. Giving up is not a bad thing. Now, if you’re giving up without trying, that can be ‘bad.’ In this case, giving up means you’re not passionate and committed, which is a huge indicator that it wasn’t going to work in the first place.
Find something you love and are passionate about, and go after it 100%. If you’re not moving closer and not realizing small incremental progress along the way, it is probably time to pivot or ultimately quit. The concept of not quitting because it’s ‘bad’ and that it’s essential or critical for you to succeed is tragically misleading. Instead, focus on what does work, and eventually, you’ll meet success.
