Is there anything more human than giving up when the going gets tough? Well, if statistics are to be believed, no. Research shows that around 92% of people who set goals never actually achieve them (*). So, when I say there is nothing more human than giving up, I really mean it. Are you one of the 8% or do you fall into the 92?
When you start something and end up quitting before you achieve it, you lose.
You lose accountability. You lose authenticity. You lose commitment.
But you did it to yourself. It was your doing.
We’ve all done it, we’ve all been there, we’ve all quit (as the figure above shows). What I have learned through my failure, quitting, and trying again, is there are certain telltale signs of a quitter. Let’s look at the characteristics of quitters.
1| They Give In To Resistance
When faced with a challenge, resistance bubbles up. It came to stop you, to give you a new excuse, and quitters always give in to resistance.
How can you get around this? You have to use willpower to push ahead without falling prey to criticism. There will always be resistance, no matter what you want to do in life. The only way to get to where you want to go is through it, not by quitting.
2| They Overthink Everything
Every step has to be analyzed from every angle. You can’t make a move until you have considered this, that, and the other. You can’t jump in until you’ve created a long list of pros and cons. When you overthink everything, it’s easy to down tools, quit, and walk away.
What can you do about it? Persist. Whatever it takes, find a way to keep going. Find a way to persist in the face of everything. Your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, and your habits will define your character. It is your character, therefore, that determines your destiny.
3| They Get Sucked Into Drama
You aren’t just what you eat, you’re also who you surround yourself with. So, who do you spend time with? If you spend time with negative people who create drama, then you’re going to be a dramatic, negative person whether you like it or not. The issue is we often don’t see people for what they are until it’s too late. They can give you bad advice, but you’re not going to know just how bad it is until it has backfired.
Instead of allowing this to force you to quit, learn to filter your friends, filter your thoughts, and surround yourself with good people.
4| They Crave Instant Gratification
You want to succeed, everyone does. Unfortunately, quitters expect instant gratification and when they realize how much work is required, they give up and walk away. The world we live in is all about instant gratification and that’s making it easier to throw goals away.
Respect your time and recognize that anything worth doing or having will require time and effort. Success requires patience and you can and will succeed if you’re willing to work.
5| They Don’t Have an Inner Circle
We highlighted just how important it is to surround yourself with the right people. It’s also important to have an inner circle. Your inner circle will be genuine and honest, they will keep you grounded, offer advice, and support you regardless. They’re also not afraid to show you where you’re going wrong. Quitters rarely have a strong inner circle. Do you? Don’t isolate yourself from others, you need them.
Up until now, you may have quit often and quickly. When you quit that much it can leave you in a rut because it feels easier to quit than to persevere. You quit without ever figuring out why or whether your pursuit even mattered. Life is more than just a job and your success hinges on more than just your job title or benefits package. If you have ideas, indulge them. Just stick with it.
