Limitless Monday – Most people give up, don’t be like most people

Limitless Monday – Most people give up, don’t be like most people

 

 

 

I read a lot of biographies. I also spend a disproportionate amount of time reflecting on my own life and those of others. It’s patently obvious to everyone who cares to give the subject an ounce of consideration that the vast majority of us give up too early, too easily, and too often.

 

 

I was reading the biography of Steven King the other day, one of the most successful fiction writers of all time, 350 million books sold. He struggled in his early days. The recurring doubts and feelings of uselessness were endless. He once threw one of his manuscripts in the garbage. Fortunately his wife spotted it covered in discarded food and cigarette butts and decided to retrieve it and read it. That book was Carrie. His wife told King of its potential, and he finished writing the book. Carrie was his first novel,

and the rights were purchased for $400,000. He had finally made it. His previous highest earnings were $400, which he received for an article he wrote for a magazine. King had been working as a barista and a part-time teacher to make ends meet.

 

 

Having a supportive partner and or friends and family are certainly important when we are at a low point and the thought of quitting occupies every waking moment. We all need positive influences in our lives who encourage us when we lose faith for a moment. That is why it is essential to rid yourself of negative influences. They will drag you down to their pathetic level!

 

 

If Steven King can experience self doubt, then none of us should feel bad when we have similar feelings. The difference between him and us is: he didn’t give up. 99% of us would have.

 

 

I have gone through self doubt all my life. However, I know there is no option but to continue. The thought of giving up and then thinking years later what could have been is too much to handle. That doesn’t mean that I don’t cut pursuits early when I feel I have done enough or I am wasting my time and there are better opportunities.

 

 

Some of us, however, don’t even start in the first place. The budding author who never picks up a pen, the arm chair MMA enthusiast who has never hit a bag, the wannabe startup founder who has never invested a single cent of his earnings to explore one of his many ideas. Most of us make excuses why it’s not the right time to start or why it’s not convenient to continue.

 

 

So the moral of the story is: get started and stick with it even when you face challenges and a steep learning curve. Don’t be like everyone else. How many people start a book and don’t finish it, begin a hobby and quit before they master it, start a business and discontinue before they earn a dime.

 

 

C’mon! It’s time to build resilience and staying power. It’s time to stand above all the other losers who give up when the going gets tough. Take the jump today. Start something you have been putting off and stick with it until the end!

 

 

Happy Monday!

 

Banner Image: Heading for the exit. Image Credit – Michael Jasmund