Perseverance is a great quality to have. In my own life I wouldn’t be where I am in my business had I not persevered and pushed myself to never give up. We’ve all heard sayings like “quitters never win” and “when life gets tough the tough gets going” and they’re good ones and often applicable.
There would be no telephone if Alexander Graham Bell had given up.
There would be no freedom if our Founding Fathers and patriots had given up.
There would have been no space exploration if NASA had given up.
Perseverance is wonderful, but not always. Let me explain.
It’s OK to Throw in the Towel
Sometimes saying goodbye to bad habits, throwing in the towel, quitting and giving up is just what you should do to make your life happier! Sometimes things don’t serve you or those around you.
Give Yourself Permission to Give Up
- Give up on the need to be perfect. Perfection is unattainable and a myth! It’s impossible to be perfect! Give up on trying to be perfect and do everything perfectly. It’s a losing battle. Give yourself some grace just like you would to someone else.
- Give up on the need to always be right. This is often ego driven anyway. Do you like to think or say “I told you so”? Do you like feeling better or smarter than someone else? Do you like to argue just for the sake of arguing?
- Give up on a dream or goal. If the dream or goal isn’t something that excites you anymore than give it up. While you’re at it, don’t you dare care what others will think of your decision either!
- Give up on making excuses. Stop making excuses and do the work.
- Give up on blaming. This is your life and you are responsible for it. No one else but you! If your life is or isn’t the way you want it to be then do something about it and stop blaming others!
- Give up complaining. Look around you at the beauty. Take a breath and be grateful for it. Look at other people. Someone out there is worse off than you. Stop complaining.
- Give up on control. Are you a control freak? Do you hate to embrace the unknown? Are you slow to adapt? Let go and watch what good things come from stepping outside of your control zone.
- Give up on the labels you’ve given yourself. Stop walking around with invisible labels plastered over you like “stupid,” “boring,” and “fat,” “ugly.” Stop, stop, stop! You are exceptional and a masterpiece formed by the Master Himself!
- Give up on being a people pleaser. Practice saying “no.” Don’t worry about being rejected for saying “no” either. Every time you say “yes” to something you are saying “no” to something that may be more important to you. Find your voice and speak up!
- Give up on limiting beliefs. You are incredible and can do incredible things…if you believe you can!
Give up! Go ahead and break those bad habits to give you more room to build good ones.
