If not giving up was always the right answer life would be so easy. History shows us that sometimes quitters prosper and sometimes they miss out. Knowing when to quit and when to keep going is one of the most difficult questions and so we asked folks we admire to tell us how they think through this question.

Sam Javadi | Filmmaker

I was born to do art, period. Ever since I was little, I tried to catch every chance I got to be with art. I sold my bicycle in exchange for a guitar when I was 12, taught myself music and got the award for best composed theatrical music at Fajr international festival at age of 23. . I went into theatrical play at 15, and have directed, written and played in numerous plays. Read more>>

Landon Hale | Photographer / Director

In life I believe there is only one option and that is to keep going. If you give up on perusing your dreams or the things that are important to you and fuel your passion, you loose the lust of life. It’s pretty much inevitable that tough times will hit you and thats one thing that we all have in common. For the longest time when things got tough I shut down and felt like giving up but the fact of the matter is that things happen and you cant control it. Read more>>

Kristen Gish | Storyboard Artist & Writer

Working in animation wasn’t always an easy path for me. I moved to Los Angeles assuming it would take a few months to get a job as a professional storyboard artist, and it took me over a year. It can be a discouraging process, because often you’re doing a ton of storyboard tests for studios, assuming each time that THIS is going to be the test that’ll get you the job. When I realized that getting a job in animation wasn’t going to happen automatically for me, I had to reframe how I viewed myself as an artist. Read more>>