Here's How Not to be a Quitter

“I quit!”

I give up. I can’t do this anymore. It’s not working out. How many time have we uttered words along those lines?

I have said those words—more than once. Give up writing. Give up marketing my books. Give up on my other day job. Give up on certain relationships. But I have also learned to pick up the pieces, regroup, recover, and head out again, sails to the wind, pushing the barge’s nose toward the open sea, wiping the salt spray from my face—determined to not give up, refusing to quit.

Then again, there were times when I had to walk away from an unhealthy and soul-numbing situation. It is never easy.

Often, not quitting, is the better option, the stronger option. It’s about more than a sense of accomplishment.

Here’s 7 Situations where you can learn not to be a quitter:

1 | Relationships

• Spouse or partner—It’s hard work to make a relationship work. Sacrifices from both parties are required. DO THIS: Tell and show the other: “I appreciate you.”
• Single—being a “single” adult is not a dirty word. Having no partner or kids doesn’t have to be the end of the world. Forget what other people say. DO THIS: Nurture positive relationships with family, friends & coworkers.
• Children, Sibling & Parents—we can’t “divorce” them if the relationship doesn’t work out. DO THIS: A sense of humor, forgiveness, and grace goes a long way.
• Friends—nurture them! DO THIS: Don’t neglect your real-life friends over online virtual friends.

Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loves at all times.”

2 | Workplace

• As employee—you spend a large part of your life at work. Make every day count. DO THIS: Be dependable and reach out to colleagues. Cheer is contagious.

Proverbs 17:22 “A cheerful heart is good medicine.”

• As the boss/employer—DO THIS: Be approachable. Be fair. Command-and-control management style is for the military. Collaboration & valuing “collective wisdom” from your team will make you a winner.
• Stay at home parent—you don’t have to lose your mind “looking after the kids.” Self-care is crucial. DO THIS: Make time for yourself. Cherish 10-minute pockets—for exercise, writing or reading.
• Retirement—my philosophy is, “don’t retire.” And if you have, DO THIS: (1) stay fit & strong (2) eat sensible (3) get a “second” job. You need regular small challenges. (4) Regular positive social interaction—preferable daily.
• Writer/Author/Blogger—writing is hard! (As is life.) Breaking into the industry is an uphill endeavor that can be mastered. You need quality, quantity and effective networking. Mentors are essential. Blogger friend, Frank McKinley, has written extensively on how to write articles that readers will devour.

3 | Fitness

• Relax, you can do this. You don’t have to be an athlete.
• DO THIS: give exercise the rightful priority it deserves.
• DO THIS: Take out your planner and slot in THREE 30-minute appointments for the coming week. Honor them as you honor your appointment with your doctor or bank manager or silent time and meditation in the morning. Repeat every week.
• Focus on fitter & stronger.
• Exercise is the best medicine!

4 | Diet

• Diets don’t work. Sorry, it’s lifestyle.
• Yes, you can do it!
• Do this: Eat wisely—at home, at work, at leisure.
• Learn how to cook again.
• Put your bathroom scale away. (Weigh yourself at most twice a month.)
• Look in the mirror, not on the scale.
• The focus is on fitter & stronger & body composition.
• Don’t skip breakfast. Sit when you eat. Drink a glass of water before your meal. Avoid eating in front of a screen.
• If you struggle with weight gain—keep a 24-hour food log once a week.

5 | Spiritual Health

• What is the purpose of our lives? To have a roof over the head, a pleasant job and lead a comfortable life?
• But there’s more to life.
• DO THIS: I have learned faith in a living God is what sustains us. Faith is stronger than fear. It doesn’t make our problems disappear, but enable us to survive the harshest battles and to not quit!

6 | Emotional & Mental Health

• Emotional bolstering ties in closely with spiritual health and physical fitness.
• DO THIS: Medication has its place, but several studies show that regular exercise as solo therapy or in combination with medication is effective in treating major depression and anxiety disorders.
• It’s not about quick fixes—it’s about a long term journey.

7 | Professional development & intellectual growth

• Never tell yourself you’re too old!
• DO THIS: Learn something new every day (Be a student for life.)
• Master new skills. It’s exciting! It improves longevity!

We will achieve very little if we give up at the first sign of trouble or opposition. My anesthesiology professor told me, “You will never make it.” I lasted over twenty years. If Christopher Columbus gave up after the first storm at sea and turned around, much of our American history may have been different.

You are not too insignificant. You don’t need to be a professor to do the above. Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent, a lawyer, or a barista, you can do this.

Start with one thing. Do one thing every day. Or, do one thing every week.

Doing NOTHING is our Achilles heel.

Remember:

• You are not helpless & powerless
• You are not voiceless & weak
• You are not a failure. There is help.

That’s the good news! You don’t have to be a quitter!

What to do next:

1. You can leave a comment and share!
2. Or go take a look at some of my very short works here!  
3. You can also get a FREE copy of my short story, Young Maxime here. It is the prequel to my novel, Maxime.

References:

1. Rick Warren. Daily hope. It’s always too soon to quit. 
2. Danie Botha. Forget about New Year’s resolutions—here’s a different approach!
3. Frank McKinley. A 7 Point Plan for writing killer Blog Posts Every Time on Medium.com
4. Bella DePaulo. Psychology Today. 12 Jan 2018. Women who are comfortably single at midlife.
5. Chad D Rethorst. Improvement in psychosocial functioning and health-related quality of life following exercise augmentation in patients with treatment in patients with major depressive disorder. Depress Anxiety Sep 2016.