To persevere or to pivot is a question that do-ers have been asking themselves since the beginning of time. It’s never a straight road when you are doing something new, blazing a trail, breaking a ceiling, or pushing boundaries, so it’s only natural to wonder whether to give up midway. How do you know whether to keep going or to give up?

Beth Abaravich | Artist, Designer, Mom

Before I went to graduate school I was really investigating art, I knew art but I knew nothing about the art world. Still something was there that I could build upon, that I could push towards something meaningful. Throughout school, many times I sucked, many times I cried, many times I marveled at others who seemed to get “it”. But I kept going. Because I wanted it and as bad as I sucked, I still loved creating art. It was like this massive puzzle that fascinated me. There is nothing like working on a piece and your brain is working on all of these levels, color, shape, mechanics, logistics, criticality…it’s a lot. It’s also very gratifying. When do you give up: when you don’t care. Read more>>

Molly Delgado | Legal Advisor By Profession | Digital Creator, Stylist, and Blogger By Passion

With any career or hobby, I think the most important questions are: Is this satisfying a need in me? Am I bettering the lives of others? If the answer to either one of those questions is “yes”, it’s worth doing. If the answer to both is yes, then it’s essential to keep going. Read more>>

Jenn Berger | Artist

I keep going by having faith in my work and art in general. Read more>>

Breshana Lee | CEO of AbeautifulA.com

I’ve noticed we often give up due to the fear of failing. However, we only fail when we don’t see whatever it is that we are seeking to accomplish through to the end and give it 100%. Giving up is not an option. You always keep going. The roads may seem long and hard and it may seem like it is not going your way at any particular time, but you fight, and you fight hard for what it is you are trying to accomplish. As the saying goes “Winners never quit, quitters never win”. Read more>>

Ann Marie Donahue | Photographer and Actor

Regarding the question, I always think of this image: I am 80 sitting and smiling in my rocking chair (after doing a glorious hike), will I look back on my life with any regrets of…”Oh why didn’t I pursue this?” I feel like that is a good meter to go by for a start. If you love what you do then I believe you must continue and not give up. I refuse to be cancelled out. With photography and acting and especially during last year, I appreciated both art forms even more. As time slowed down, I was able to delve deeply into what areas of photography I thrive in and why I love this art from. I am continually inspired by my daily walks and the magic of light. For acting, through my on-line classes and myriad self-tape auditions, my love of storytelling became clearer. Words and life tales feed my brain. I am constantly reminded that I couldn’t imagine my life without taking pictures or telling stories. During this time, I am encouraged to make art in order to bring some levity and brightness. If there was ever a time to keep going, now would be it. Read more>>

Courtnay Robbins | Artist

When something gets difficult, it may be tempting to give up. But sometimes that can be the most important time to push forward. When I work through challenges with patience and dedication, I am giving myself the opportunity to grow. It is often in these moments that I get my biggest creative boosts. For me, it is time to give up (or rather move on to something different) when I no longer find enjoyment in what I am focusing my time and energy on. I like to remember the passion that drove me to start a creative endeavor in the first place, yet accept that I am constantly changing and what excited me before might no longer be sparking my inspiration now. Read more>>

Jack Morocco | Art Director & Writer

I don’t think of it so much in terms of “giving up” as I consider it shedding what does not serve. It’s important to slow down and take stock of what you’re carrying; emotionally, spiritually, mentally, or even physically. Acknowledge what’s there and evaluate why, and be honest about what serves your best needs and what simply serves your ego. When I feel overwhelmed or unsure of a direction, I seek stillness and quiet. I find those mindful moments can present options my agitated mind couldn’t see. The paths we walk can and will be unpredictable – in good ways and bad – so “giving up” may not be so much an abandonment of dreams as it is a strategy shift. Letting go of things that don’t serve and being open to alternate routes can get you where you want to be, often less directly than we expect, but in a potentially more fulfilling way. Read more>>

Yams aka GotShotByHer | Photographer/Videographer/Content Creator

In my experience, I had sold my equipment twice. But after I did that, I’d still get people reaching out for a shoot, I was still having dreams about being able to pay bills/live life/travel and being fulfilled as a photographer and giving back to the next generation of female photographers. Those are the reasons I kept going, because deep down I know I CAN live this dream of mine. To inspire those who has or had cancer, was or still in special ed., was or still in the adoption agency. That they too can become whatever they want if they’re dedicated to it. Read more>>

Christina Elizabeth Smith | Artist and Creator of Amrta Art

I choose never to give up. I think especially in the last year so many of us have thought about giving up on something, a dream career, our art, love… I know for me, it has been such a time of questioning professional and personal choices and whether to continue to pursue everything I dream of, but I always come back to the same answer inside of myself that whispers “keep going”. The stories that always inspire me the most are the people who never gave up on that inner voice, even when the world was railing against them, telling them it was impossible. That is what I aim to be, someone who never gives up and maybe inspires at least one person to never give up on themselves. I also know that after all the years of being in the arts, it is what I am meant to do. I am meant to be an artist. This is how I relate to the world, how I add my story and my softness to it. Art is the best way I know how to communicate. Read more>>

Charles Withers | Chef

My first Chef / mentor gave me a book my first few months working in a kitchen – “How I learned to cook”, by Peter Meehan. It described in picturesque detail the hardest days in some of the most successful chefs’ careers. This book taught me from day 1 that it’s okay to fail, you just can’t ever give up. It’ll be worth it one day. Starting out as a hungry young cook, you make about $300 a week and you work 100 hours. You’re on your feet all day, you get shouted at all the time, you’re constantly cutting yourself and getting burned. Yet your senses are alive in a way they never have been before. The adrenaline that courses through your body each service increases each day. Working in a kitchen – at least the way I approached it – changed my perspective on life. I spent my first year cooking in Boston. I “staged”, or worked for free in as many kitchens as I could on my days off. All the cash I made I spent on eating in as many restaurants as I could. I would sit at the bar and order as many plates as I could afford and write down as much as I could about the experience. Read more>>

Jimmy Danko | Artist

If we’re talking about following our passion, I don’t think giving up is ever part of the equation. The only choice is to keep going. As an artist there was a moment where I danced briefly on the precipice of giving up and it felt like I was stepping away from my life force. Afterwards, I thought “never again”. In the search to “know thyself” there must also be an unfaltering belief in one’s self. Each time we let doubt creep in we take a step away from who we are meant to be. With any uncommon path there is uncertainty and failure as we chart our path forward. The key is to remember that these are the things that in the long term actually strengthen your resolve and belief in yourself. They are necessary processes for growth and success. At the end of my life I don’t want to look back and think “What if I had stayed on the path? What kind of amazing creations, both big and small, could I have brought to life?”. Read more>>

Katie Rike | Illustrator & Co-Founder of Grow, Florecita

How to know whether to keep going or to give up? First of all, you’ve got to get very clear about what means the most to you. Life is about tradeoffs— I’m really learning now more than ever — so you need to choose what your top priorities are in life. Once you are certain about what it is you desire, then you water, water, water that desire. Everything on this planet abides by the law of gestation, meaning every living organism needs time to develop. The same applies to our own self, our businesses, our relationships, our dreams. This is what Grow, Florecita is really all about. We must continuously get clear on the life we truly desire to live, and then continue to c l e a r o u t everything else that is distracting focus from creating that life. It’s the continuous bloom and prune. It’s the process. It’s beautiful. Don’t rush it too much. If the thing that you are dreaming about and chasing is true to you, then continuously prune out the distractions, and have faith in the law of gestation and divine timing. Read more>>

Cynthia Jamin | Owner, Designer of TwirlyGirl, Clothing For Kids

This is a question that comes up frequently, and has steered me in the “right” direction every time I answer it truthfully and as objectively as I can. This pivotal question is not only about soul-searching, but also allowing oneself to truly see what is going on. So many times, it’s easy to get blinded by sheer desire and will. In those moments, we often find ourselves in unnecessary hardships and/or missing great opportunities for growth. Today, I’m a successful business owner. I built my business without any formal education or knowledge of the fashion industry. I’m extremely proud of TwirlyGirl and it’s been going since 2007. I’m also happily married with 2 almost-adult daughters. If you had asked me when I was 7 if I thought my life would turn out this way, I probably would have said you were crazy. For 5 years I was sexually abused as child. From the time I was 7 to 12 years old, my life was very dark. My mother was young when she had me and had demons of her own. Being that she wasn’t able to care for me, I stayed with a family “friend.” During that time, I knew that there was more to life than what I was experiencing. I would watch TV and just escape into the fictional worlds of Gilligan’s Island, Bewitched, The Brady Bunch, That Girl, etc. They gave me a glimpse into an alternate reality that I believed actually existed in some way – it KEPT ME GOING. Read more>>

Amy Remsen | Former Business Owner/Current HR Manager

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about it over the past few years. I think the answer is, you need to be able to give something up when it no longer serves you. Instead of “give up” I prefer “choose something new.” I recently gave up my position as a small business owner when the business I created with my partner merged with another business. It was an incredibly difficult decision, one that took years to make. I come from a family where “giving up” isn’t really an option. If you choose something, job, marriage, house, you stick with it. It doesn’t matter if it makes you happy or fills you up, you just do it. It took me a long time to unlearn that. I think our society also favors people who stick it out and keep going no matter what. Don’t get me wrong, I did stick it out for eight years. I did keep going when times were tough. But one day it dawned on me: I did all of these things to make this business happen, to manifest it and bring it to life. Now how do I get out of it? What’s my exit plan? It was the first time I’d ever thought of it because I was so intent on making it work for so long. Read more>>

Megan Greenspan | Actress, Body Positive Instagram Influencer/Model

I have definitely struggled with the internal battle of giving up or continuing to push. The one thing I always circle back to is this question, “If I were not doing this as a career, what would I be doing?” If I do not immediately come up with another career path, I know this is where I need to be. I cannot imagine myself doing anything else so I remind myself I need to push past the struggle and keep moving forward. I also continue to think of everyone who has helped me reach my goals and everyone who looks up to me. As a body positive Instagram model, I think back to my young female followers who look up to me for inspiration. I remind myself how much my choices can affect them and it is really inspiring to continue pushing. Finally, I look at my mood boards I make. I know that where I am in my career is amazing but I know I can always go further. I know if I were to stop now I would be unsatisfied with myself years down the road because I would think of all I never accomplished. Read more>>

Ceevan Sherman | Coach Ceevan Owner of My Gym Thousand Oaks

The thing that drives us most in our life is our purpose and for most for most of us its our super power once we find it. My “super power” is interacting with children and providing a platform where children can learn, play, and grow successfully. Once you know your super power and purpose you cant give that up for the world. Adapting and creating new ways to use that super power is the hardest part during these new times. This drives and motivates me to affect as many children’s lives as I can. Read more>>

Joseph Schneider | Author of The Critically Acclaimed LAPD Tully Jarsdel Mysteries

The thing is, we often don’t know what we really want out of life. Quite the contrary—we have a knack for latching onto an idea because the fantasy excites us, or early praise makes us think it’s what we’re destined to do. Man, I had it all worked out, how it was gonna go. I could just see it—talking about my process to worshipful acting students, giving behind-the-scenes interviews, getting out of limos. Not any actual acting, mind you, just the ego-stroking bullshit we dream up when we’re young. I call it “cartoon success,” because it’s completely divorced from reality. Only cartoon characters live that way. Bugs Bunny drinking carrot juice next to his carrot-shaped pool. There were just a couple things standing in my way. One, I wasn’t very good. I mean, I was good enough to get the occasional gig, and some of the skills helped in my work as a magician, but I was far too self-conscious to truly find myself in a character. Read more>>

Taydee Marie | Singer-songwriter & Model

I have struggled with this question a lot in my own mind. The music industry is very hard and sometimes I want to just give up. I don’t though, because I know this is where I’m meant to be. I know that if I gave up I would never be happy and I would always wonder, “what if”. That is how I know I have to keep going. Read more>>

Dav Yendler | Illustrator

I’m inherently lazy so I’ll go with whichever is easiest. For real, if it’s easier to keep going, like my attention is on the project or problem whether I want it to be or not, or I’m talking about it all the time, then it’s easier to keep going. My body is telling me that it’s interested and I have to listen. The same is true for giving up on something- if my instinct is to bail and the feeling persists after scrutiny, time, distance, and reflection- then yeah I gotta bail. That’s when it’s easy to make those choices, so maybe it’s a no-brainer. In the cases where I have no idea what to do, I have to rely on my experience. I’ve learned that I can really draw something into the ground if I let myself, like I’ll “finish” my illustration and then I have the instinct to add “just one more thing” until I’ve accidentally made a “fucking nightmare”. In those cases (and they happen a lot) I know now to “give up” on a drawing at exactly the right moment. So maybe the difference between “giving up” on something and “failing” it is just a matter of timing. Read more>>

Skipp Whitman | Rapper

I have tried giving up on music. Quitting. Changing direction. Forgetting about it. But I don’t know how. If you can let go of something, and it doesn’t continue to call you. If you can live without it, and you don’t dream about it, then maybe it was something you never fully needed to pursue. It’s great to try things. Not everythign is going to work for you. It depends on how far along you are also. How much you have dedicated. What you have invested .. sometimes that will make something harder to give up. Read more>>

Jeserey Sanchez | Singer, Model, & Actor

From my very first night in Los Angeles away from home and eight years later. I find myself at war with whether I made the right decision in making the big move to Hollywood, CA and pursue my singing, modeling, and acting career. I was young, full of hope, and determined. But, no one tells you about the many sleepless nights, no’s in audition rooms, the competition. I came to find that the biggest competition I have yet to face is myself. The voice in my head telling me maybe it’s time to make a shift, change careers, give up. The question is “How to know whether to keep going or to give up?” For me the answer is keep going. Why? I say keep going because you’re still contemplating, you’re wondering if it is the right thing to do. A part of you is still being pulled in the other direction. I know that if I were to give up, no one else would be disappointed or heart broken but myself. Keep going for yourself and no one else. This is how I know to keep going. The thought of all my dreams coming true, how bright the future still shines, I won’t be able to obtain if I simply give up. Read more>>

Hamilton Boyce | Musician / Artist

My simple answer is, as cliche as it might sound, to never give up. One of my personal strengths (and also probably weaknesses) is that I really make a strong effort to carry every project I start to the end, no matter how long it takes or how challenging it is. I start creative projects because I want to do them and because art and music is how I express myself. Even if I get burned out on a project and it is taking up too much time and asking for too many resources, I often still find ways to complete it, even if that means changing the scope or acknowledging that the end result will not match my original concept. I will very likely always have incomplete projects floating around my life until the day I die, because the mind always seems to work faster than the body, and I am ok with that. This year, I am releasing an album that I started recording over five years ago and some of which I started writing years before that. Spending nearly a decade on one album may seem foolish or ill-advised but it is also the work that I am most proud of in my life thus far. Read more>>

Emily Buckingham | Photographer & Stylist

Like everything in my life, I lead with my spirit and instinct. Working in a creative industry can often times be undervalued and under appreciated. There are obvious moments of doubt and wanting to give up but, when I pick up my camera and start shooting I get that feeling that everything is aligned. My body clicks into the zone and I go with the gut. Read more>>

Kailey Strachan | Brand Designer & Art Director

Take time to reframe your mindset and find ways to look at your ups and downs from a fresh perspective. By seeing “giving up” as more of a pivot than a failure, I have allowed myself the ability to adapt and shift without losing sight of the dream. This past year has not been the first time I have tried to launch my branding studio, but this time I had the knowledge and learnings to do it the right way. I was ready in ways I wasn’t before.. Listen to your instincts and know there is always time to keep going and moving forward. Read more>>

Paulian Read | Creative Artist, Model, & Youth Mentor

If we think about a time when we really wanted to give up we were probably in a toxic situation or exhausted from not seeing the fruit of our labor. This is one of the hardest choices for one to determine. The only time I know when to let go of something is when I have seen that it is no longer serving me. When it doesn’t feel right anymore. I won’t give up on something if I know there is a burning desire in me to keep going, even when challenges arise. I think that the best way to go about any goal is to assess yourself. Assess the mission you are about to take on. Have a plan, but be open to that plan needing to be tweaked. In my experience, I have made choices year after year towards my goal. I make sure that I choose what feels right to me and I never make a decision under pressure. This question actually reminds me a lot when I first moved to Los Angeles. It was a foreign place to me. I took a leap of faith and flew across the country not only as a stepping stone to my career but as my own personal development. Read more>>

Kate O’Neill | Actor & Creative

Growing up, my Dad always described me as someone who never gives up on anything – whether that be gymnastics or the tenor saxophone, I always saw things through until the end. 2020 really tested me, as it did a lot of us. I was faced with the possibly of losing my chance to move and work in the US. Two months before I was due to fly, Australia closed international borders and flights were grounded. I could either ‘give up’ and lose my Greencard, or fight for a way to keep my dreams alive. The rules changed daily – new border restrictions, flight cancellations, immigration bans and travel exemptions – just to name a few. People told me I was crazy for wanting to go in spite of all this – but I couldn’t just give up. I honestly felt that I was meant to be here, and that, if that were true, a path would reveal itself; and it did. It was one of the most difficult things I have ever done in my life (and continues to be), but I’m just not one to give up. People are always going to tell you to let go or to give up on things – ultimately they just don’t understand. Read more>>

Jordan West | Drummer, Singer, and Songwriter

The past year has really put that question in the spotlight for many artists and entrepreneurs. Even in normal times, I have had moments of wondering if the path I’m taking is worth getting to where I want to go (or where that even is, exactly). But in 2020 things got pretty bleak. I didn’t touch my drums for several months during lockdown because I was so rattled and upset about a year’s worth of touring with a crew I really loved being ripped out from under my feet. But then it got deeper than that. If music was something I truly loved, why was I unable to play just for the love of playing? It kind of made me realize how lost I had become over years of pushing through and grinding, constantly posturing to appear successful and only ever searching for the next gig, the next connection, etc. There were a few moments where I really didn’t know if I even wanted to make music anymore. But then I went back to my hometown in Indiana and started playing every week with my brother. Being able to just jam and play with no plans or agenda brought me back to feeling the love I’ve always had for playing and writing. Read more>>

Carlos Barboza | Guitarist

to achieve something you work hard every day to make it, obviously sometimes you want to throw it all away and give up, but you keep working. Maybe is that “like”, that “follow” or that comment from people that gives you strength to continue. Some years ago I left music, I stopped playing guitar. It was a really hard time because I moved to another country and it wasn’t easy to continue, but after a little time thinking about what I wanted, I started making music, writing and playing again. It’s that felling that moves you to do what you want to do and don’t give up. I don’t see myself in the future doing something other than music. Read more>>

Kayciii | Recording artist & Business Owner

If you have a plan, it’s important to see it through. Now sometimes it may not go the way you wish,but then the best way is to try a different way. Sometimes your way may not work but that doesn’t mean that it can’t work. If you have a vision, see it through. Never hurts to try right? You never know what you can do until you do it. Read more>>

Colleena Hake | Gallerista & Artist

I admit, when the pandemic first happened, I wanted to throw in the towel. I have an art gallery in Joshua Tree, California and I just couldn’t picture a future without the fun art parties. Then I saw so many other small businesses understandably folding, and it made me so sad…. but more determined to keep going. I didn’t want La Matadora Gallery to be another casualty to the virus. So I started thinking outside the gallery box and turned to performance art. For the first few months of shelter-in-place, I actually “sheltered-in-gallery.” People bought me “Get out of the Gallery Free” passes so I could “escape” to buy food, take a walk, or just run amok for an hour. The rest of the time, I stayed inside, and offered 1:1 art services via a walk-up window. Some of the art services included: “Fortuna, the Bank Teller” which involved oracle readings, “Smize: The Gallerista is Present”, a homage to Marina Abramovic, & “St. Corona, the Confessional.” The #staygallery experience also made me focus more on my own art, so I created multiple series of beneditos, or cabin blessings. Read more>>

Joy Hearn | Extreme Couponer & Shopping Expert

The pandemic has taught me that there will always be someone who needs information about how to get the most of of grocery shopping. In 2020 we saw people in need like never before and the main image you saw plastered across televisions were people at food banks, or wondering where their next meal would come from. So having a platform that shows people how to get a week’s worth of groceries for pennies, and knowing this platform is actually serving a need is what keeps me going. Read more>>

Christianna Soumakis | Artist

The poet Wendell Berry says, “A tree forms itself in answer to its place and to the light.” This strikes me as terribly good advice for anyone of any phylla. And so I’d like to answer this question from the persepctive of a tree. How to know whether to keep going or to give up? First: How does the venture under consideration interface with your place? Your place is your identity: a cocktail of nature and nurture. It’s what you do naturally. Nature is incredibly flexibile — look at the way plants bend around obstacles, crack sidewalks, swallow fences, climb up or occlude their neighbors. But our nature is also defined by its limits: an oak tree will never live the life-pattern of a tomatoe plant. Our limits are the scaffold of our liberty. Honoring them sets us free to be ourselves. If the venture in question stretches your nature, by all means, strive forward. But if holding onto the project/goal transgresses the life-sustaining thresholds of your nature, to thrive will mean to let it go. Read more>>

Annett Bone | Dancer, Performance Artist, and Creative Strategist That Guides People To Honor Their Values so They Can Achieve Milestones in Their Lives.

One pivotal lesson I have learned is that reframing questions bring positive perspectives. So it’s not a matter of whether to keep going or giving up, as it is assessing my core values so I know how to keep going or navigate in a different direction. Reframing questions impact the way I show up for myself and others. It also keeps me excited about the process and the journey. Read more>>

Raélle Dorfan | Creative I Director I Choreographer I Teaching Artist I Performer I Producer

As my knowledge and experiences expand, my ambitions and dreams continually evolve too. Redefining success and reflecting on the value I and/or my community placed on specific goals is an essential part of the journey. Since there is much not within our control, the decision to stick to the original plan or explore a new path is unique to each person and individual experience. When the question has come up for me – whether to keep going in the same direction – I dim the sounds around me, including the past and future expectation, and focus on being present – listening to my instinct. Read more>>

Sammy Plotkin | Songwriter

I’ve asked myself this question my whole life, and it’s most often based in my fear of how others perceive creativity. If I am able to support myself while I make art, then there is really nothing to give up. The recent success I’ve had is a result of creating freely despite the constant presence of fear in my life. My process for writing songs is often digging into what is very personal for me. I feel a constant pressure to make something that I’ll be able to monetize immediately, and that’s what makes me want to give up the most. Striving to mimic the success of others is the death of creativity and imagination. I made a conscious choice to do art first and foremost for myself, which is why I don’t think failure will ever deter me from living a creative life. Read more>>

Lily Shaw | Actress, Voiceover Artist, Writer, and Public Speaker

I’ve struggled with repeatedly, in my life as an actress. Especially since the job of an artist isn’t one of 9-5, and most people (friends and strangers, alike) feel compelled to help you by telling you to give up your ‘life of fantasy’ and get a ‘real job.’ In these circumstances, most artists, like myself, find themselves alone, unsupported, and often, openly mocked. Over the years, as my life got more isolated and the struggle of finding a foothold in the entertainment industry intensified I contemplated giving up my artistic ambitions, and getting a real job. But, something always always stopped me. And in my case, it was fear. First, it was the fear of giving up. For me it felt like throwing a match – it was one thing if I got beat, but to admit that I didn’t have the guts to keep moving forward, no matter how insurmountable the obstacles, was too big of an ask. I would get beat, but I would never bow out, just because I got punched in the gut a few times. I wanted to fight to my last breath! Second, and the more scary aspect of the two was the fear of NOT being an actress. Read more>>

Salvador Ochoa | Celebrity and Travel Photographer

It is in our nature to realize our true calling. Knowing when to continue with our life’s mission depends largely on our belief of what’s truly our essence and purpose in this relatively short life. Deep down, we instinctively know our true calling. Once we decide to concede defeat, our options are non-existent. Self-affirmation, self-fulfillment, and self-realization are the key indicators that guide us. Read more>>

George Laparra | Owner at SoccerWearhouse.com

A lot of small businesses are asking themselves this question. Believe me I have asked myself this question before and I think I do it every so often when times get difficult, especially right now. I think when it comes down to it you just have to believe in yourself and your abilities. I really do think that anyone with enough drive can achieve anything when it comes making your business successful. However I am a firm believer that you have to do your own research and talk to people in your industry. Try not to go into something blindly. A mentor in the same field is always a plus. I learned mostly by doing and making mistakes. If I knew then what I know now I would have done a some things differently. Now I talk to more people in my industry and we help each other out. Read more>>

Francesca Manzi | Voice Over Artist and Actress

The eternal question, ha! It’s obviously very personal, and ultimately, I believe you just know in your heart of hearts what the right thing to do is. I’ve considered giving up many, many times, but something always happens to let me know that it’s not time, and that I’m actually on the right track. I would say, if you’re no longer motivated & excited by your specific goal – if it seems that actually, you CAN live without achieving it, and if the effort to pursue it is causing more discontent, pain or drama than it is excitement and joy , it may be time to let it go in favor of what makes you happy NOW. Read more>>

Yasser El-Sayed | Writer & Doctor

I try to pursue activities for which I have genuine passion and commitment, and not get derailed by perceptions of success or failure, both of which can be highly subjective and fluid. This makes the idea of simply giving up untenable and unnecessary. Having said that, I think it is also important to have a very disciplined approach and set realistic goals and expectations around these activities. As long as I am pursuing a passion–whether it is writing or medicine or music–in as thoughtful and dedicated a manner as possible, then that is in itself a success. Why would I ever give up?. Read more>>

Paija Hudson | Professsional Makeup Artist & Owner of The Glamour Feed

One day I was sitting in church and I heard my pastor say “we praise God by using the gifts He gave us.” That was such a pivotal moment in my life because it put hundreds of things into perspective within a matter of minutes. My brain and emotions started firing off in tandem. That is when it all made sense that our gifts and talents are to be used not only to make an income and survive but to bless and help others. When something is a part of your calling it will not leave your mind even when you try to focus on something else, it’s almost something is calling your name and you have to answer “Yes.” You know it’s time to keep going when you feel that feeling. One thing I have learned is that the most successful people failed and failed often, this helped them find out quickly what mistakes to avoid in the future. Errors do not mean give up, they simply mean find another way. Read more>>