Don't Give Up

Photo via Flickr

Sometimes it seems like the world is conspiring against you. Or at the very least, conspiring against your goals.

It happens in little ways. That dream job opportunity falls through and your stuck with the one you loathe. That new product you launched fell flat and didn't sell anything.

It happens in big ways. Your health falters and you can no longer participate in that activity that gave you life. Your trust in someone cost you your livelihood.

And it happens in quiet, almost silent ways. You begin to doubt your capabilities and your drive. You begin to wonder if it's really worth it to follow through on what you've set out to do. Maybe that dream is a little too big. Maybe your passions aren't really that strong.

Don't give up.

Remember why you set out that goal in the first place.

There are countless stories of those who persevered in the face of failure. They found their inner strength to keep going when everything and everyone else told them otherwise. Those stories are not hard to find. Founders, visionaries, political figures, fighters, astronauts, and more. They all have their inspiring moments where challenges large and small could have held them back. But they pushed forward.

If those stories don't sound encouraging, try this on: how many stories do you know of people who gave up? Not those who pivoted to a new path or decided their priorities needed to be shifted. I'm talking about people who thought they had dreamed too big, aspired to too much, and instead decided to stick with their comfortable surroundings.

My guess is...none. There are no stories about that person who had a dream but then let it go for no other reason than it was too hard.

If you want your story told, if you want to leave your mark on this world...don't give up. Your dream may take longer than planned. It may not turn out to be what you expected. You may not even succeed at all. But the only way to guarantee failure is to give up.

- Ryan