Do you know how many hundreds of times I wanted to give up?

No, I’m not joking either. I’ve wanted to give up more than you’ve had hot dinners. So much rejection and so much failure have overwhelmed me. These two things have overwhelmed us all. This “life” thing sometimes seems like a joke.

It’s like we’ve been put in a racing car, in fifth gear, at 300km per hour and then been told to steer without any steering wheel. That’s what life is.

But there is a plan for you and for me. One day I sat down and thought about all the leaders and world champions I’ve studied. What did they do when they had to drive this racing car we call life without any steering wheel?

They got in the seat, put on the seatbelt and enjoyed the goddamn ride to the best of their ability. They ran over stuff. They hit walls. They crashed in the rain. Basically, they had fun with it.

No one’s perfect. Most of all, the people you look up to.

Don’t ever give up. Here’s why:

1. I don’t want you to

Okay so here’s the deal: I don’t want you to give up. Yes, that’s correct. I’ve worked too long and too hard to see you read every one of my blog posts and then throw in the towel because someone spoiled your lasagne.

I don’t do this because I want to inspire myself you know. You’re the reason I’m doing this. Despite what you think, I give a damn. Before you give up, send me a message on one of my social media accounts. I care and I won’t let you give up.

I’ll tell you what you don’t want to hear and I’ll give you the truth. You may not like what I have to say, but that’s because I’m not giving you cupcakes, sugar.

Suck it up because I won’t let you give up. Try me.

2. What’s the worst that can happen?

My favorite question to ask in every scary moment.

So you keep going and it’s one hell of a struggle. What’s the worst that can happen?
You try again and fail yet again?

What’s the worst that can happen? You trust in someone and then they lie to you. Happens all the time. What’s the worst that can happen?

“Most of the time the very thing you are afraid of is an illusion made up by your survival brain that is desperate to keep you safe. Safety sucks ass”

3. There’s a reason you’re here

I spent years thinking I was here to make a dollar, go on holiday, get drunk and have fun. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Life gave me a new mission once I hit the wall.

The same is true for you. You’re here for a reason and if you haven’t discovered that yet then it’s going to hit you like a flying piece of salami in the face. You are here for a reason. Life is not meaningless. There is a point to all of it even if you haven’t discovered that for yourself.

Let’s not go into those overused words of purpose and vision because you’ve heard it all before in some other self-help blog post. Let’s strip it all back to one idea: you are here for a reason. Find that reason and then don’t let go.

People will tell you you’re nuts. Screw them.
People will look at you like you’re not quite right (happens to me all the time). Screw them.
People will think you’ve lost the plot. Screw them.

People will want what you have. Help them.
People will want to join your tribe once they figure out you’re for real. Bring them in.
People want to be led. Lead them so they can find their own reason for being here.

“Giving up is for chumps. I’ve just shown you the only thing you ever need to do. There is nothing else. Everything else will follow once you discover the reason you’re here. There’s no way you can ever give up if you follow this plan”

4. It’s not only in your head

Your body tells you a lot of things. It’s not just your brain that tells you to give up; it’s your entire body. Sit up straight. Talk with confidence even when you have no reason to.

Giving up is in the way you use your body and not only about what you are thinking.

5. You can redirect the energy

Take all that energy you want to use towards giving up and divert it into inspiring others through your gift. If you sharpen knives better than anyone else then inspire people with that gift. Giving up takes energy so you may as well put that energy to good use.

6. You can try this. Tell people you want to give up (watch this)

Go and talk with the people who respect you and what you do. If you feel like giving up then tell them you are going to.

Watch this.

For the next however many hours it takes, that person you just told you are going to give up to will push you to rethink your options. Chances are they’ve been inspired by what you do and they don’t want you to give up

This occurs because when you give up on something people appreciate, it’s not good for them either. Giving up messes you up and the people that respect you. When you give up everyone loses. Your lack of willpower kills more than your own dreams.

We’re all connected in some way. Many people live their lives and are inspired by other people’s dreams. If I tried to give up right now, I reckon I would cop so much abuse that I wouldn’t be able to sleep for weeks.

People don’t want you to give up. Neither do I.

7. It’s not that bad baby

Giving up may feel like the only option, but it’s not that bad. Whatever your reasons are for giving up, it’s because you’ve convinced yourself it’s too difficult to continue on. It’s not that bad baby.

I lost my money.
Friends left me to live abroad.
Girlfriends left me.
No one followed my work.

These are the great reasons I had to give up. Did I? No freaking way. All those situations are unpleasant, but things are never as bad as you think they are. Someone else out there has way worse problems than you. Someone else is bankrupt, missing a limb, losing their home, without food or maybe even dying.

Don’t sit there and tell me you got it bad. You don’t. You haven’t been trying as hard as you think. You’ve got more in the fuel tank. Don’t ever give up.

8. You’re telling the give up story

The story about why you have to give up is being told by you. You’re the freaking narrator so stop telling crap stories. No one wants to hear a story about you giving up, including you. So, don’t tell that horrible story.

If I held a gun to your head and told you to change the story of your life, then I’m willing to bet a million bucks that you’d do it. I’m also willing to bet that you’d never cry like a baby and try and give up ever again. Now I live in Australia so I’m not going to go and buy that metaphorical gun and blow your head off because we have an agreement now. Don’t we?

Write the next chapter of your personal story. Make this chapter count. Live like you’re writing this epic novel called your life because, in fact, you are. I’m looking forward to reading it. Remember we’re all authors including you.

If you want to increase your productivity and learn some more valuable life hacks, then join my private mailing list on timdenning.net