NEVER Give Up — 5 Power Tips

7 min readDec 21, 2021

John F. Kennedy’s following life lesson must be remembered by all of us whenver we feel low in life. He goes: “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going”. Though the title in this article ‘Give’ and ‘Up’ are used together in terms of quitting something in life, but if you see the literal meaning of both these words, they are quite uplifting: Giving and moving up. So, moving forward, let’s exercise some caution in using certain vocabulary. When we zoom in to human race — life is difficult and when we face setbacks after setbacks, problems after problems, at home or at work when quitting is considered to be the last and only resort, it can get very hard to stay optimistic and keep this same perspective of resilience that is found at the macro level. It gets very difficult to remind ourselves that we are strong and that we can get through whatever problems we are facing. When life is tough, giving up always seems like the easiest option.

The actual reality is, when we feel like giving up, there is a LOT of untapped inner strength inside of us that we probably haven’t even realised. That is why when we are in a “dark place” it can help to remind ourselves of our strengths and our potential so that we can overcome the negativity that creeps into our mind.

The following 5 power tips are simple reminders that will inspire and motivate you in your “dark times” when you just want to stop and give up on whatever you are doing.

1. I’m alive & I can

As Christopher Reeve once said: “So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable”. The short and simple answer is that only valid excuse to give up is that when I am dead. There is only one certainty in life and that is death. As long as we are alive we have no excuse to say we can’t. If we put our mind to it, we can do anything — anything is possible. This might seem like cliché advice but I find this to be extremely important because it reminds us of the ticking clock that is our life. Every minute we are hesitating or overthinking or are frozen with anxiety is a minute closer to the inevitable yet only certain thing in life, our death.

Some might say this is a morbid way to think, but frankly, I disagree because death is the biggest motivator. Understanding that my time is limited always centers me and helps me to balance my priorities. Most problems and difficulties in life when compared with the ever-looming shadow of death always seem minuscule and is a good reminder to keep going. The Moto should be: “I’m alive so I CAN continue and I will continue”.

2. I believe in my dreams

In Langston Hughes’s words: “Hold fast to your dreams, for without them life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly”. A simple question: Would I ever give up on my immeediate family? The most expected and a decent answer would be NO. If that’s true then why would I give up on myself? Me and my dreams are worth more than anything else. I shouldn’t sell myself short and don’t let anybody bring me down. Remember, If I can dream it, I can do it and my dreams and goals are WORTH PURSUING. Also please remember that there have been millions of dreamers before me and if they had given up, the world would not have been the same.

Take the example of the Wright brothers who faced severe ridicule when they tried to make “flight” a reality. Everybody laughed at them and told them it was impossible. They proved the world wrong, and now flight and airplanes are considered a common means of travel. If they gave up on their dreams we would still be taking “ships” across the oceans! Be like the Wright Brothers — Never give up on your dreams!

3. I’ve everything I need

There are always things to be grateful for, even now, and gratitude reminds us how special, beautiful and fulfilling our lives are, even under stressful or hazardous conditions. While many of us tend to view and express gratitude in relation to our personal lives, gratitude relating to the corporate environment and workplace, where we earn our livelihood from, is especially critical because it satisfies the higher psychological need to feel a sense of belonging to something greater than ourselves, to feel a sense of meaning at work.

Let’s learn to be grateful for our God-given capabilities and strive for success. We have all the tools inside of us to persevere and keep going. Do you think great minds like Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Martin Luther King Jr. or Nelson Mandela never dealt with anxiety or difficulties? They absolutely did and their legacies were built only after they persevered, pushed through but they never gave up!

4. I don’t want to regret

Regret is the worst feeling of the human life. Don’t put yourself in that position and do what you have to do, now. Anthony Robbins created a “Rocking Chair Test” which he uses with his clients and utilizes the powerful feeling of regret to motivate and inspire people to push through their anxieties. It goes like this:

Take a moment and imagine yourself at 85 years old. You’re in your rocking chair, reflecting on how you’ve lived. Imagine your life if you did whatever it is that makes you anxious or fearful; maybe it’s changing careers, learning to fly a helicopter or taking a trip somewhere new. How do you feel? What’s your life been like as a result of the decision?

Reflect on this scenario and put yourself in a position where you don’t regret giving up and are happy that you persevered and pushed through your difficulties.

5. I need to prove it to myself

We should always have an “underdog mentality” when it comes to life which is actually very cruel. We all somehow are scared to face “Them” and what “They” do. The “they” in this scenario are all the successful people in the world who want to hold us back and do NOT want to give you any piece of their pie. We must fight and claw and never give up. Imagine Steve Jobs didn’t fight and let the “they” of his time win. We wouldn’t have smartphones and apps and everything else that we today take as granted.

Don’t let anything stop us from achieving our goals. Remember that True failure isn’t when you miss the mark, but it’s when you give up. You are capable and quitting is only for weak minds.

Takeaways

Let’s understand this that as long as there is life, there is hope, potential, and endless possibilities. Luck is great, but life is meant to be experienced. Sometimes the only way out of stress is through it; face struggle to overcome challenges in life. Many times, struggle happens to help teach us a lesson. We can either learn from that lesson or deny it.

From an evolutionary perspective the human mind’s main goal is to keep you safe. Sometimes this leads to self-sabotage as it’s just easier to stay in your comfort zone and avoid risk. However, great things never come from mediocrity. Quit settling for average and strive for extraordinary.