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?

Chris Sheridan | Visual artist

A sunset isn’t simply light of day, and then dark of night. There is the slow gradation from gleaming light, to the waning low light on the horizon casting endlessly long shadows, then the glow of golden hour, followed by the haunting mystique of the blue hour, the eye trickery of the nearly dark, and if you’ve sat long enough to truly enjoy all of the movements, the real darkness. The nuance between “keep going or give up” is much the same. Read more>>

Ruoyu Li | Cinematographer & Filmmaker

The longer I stay in this town, the more I felt like “if I just stay in this business long enough, I will definitely get my big break eventually”. Also, being a filmmaker is not just a life long dream, it is also genuinely my favorite thing to do. These are my thought process on living in Hollywood, Read more>>

Samantha Reynolds | Artist & Small Business Owner

Life will throw one road block after another at you and it will seem easier to give up, but keeping in mind the fulfillment that you get from your passion will allow you to persevere through hard times. I try to take every occasion where things don’t pan out the way I hoped as a learning opportunity and a chance for growth. For me, going through these rough patches as a creative can be discouraging and take away motivation to work, but I keep in mind that these creative outlets allow me to share my voice. I like to imagine that my art can resonate with somebody else, creating a bond, a feeling of I’m not alone in this world and others are going through it with me. Sometimes the feelings of inadequacy for “not doing enough” will creep in but it’s important to remember everything you have done so far and not diminish your accomplishments. Read more>>

 Yvonne Coleman Burney | Mixed Media Collage Artist

Well, I must say that there have been numerous times in my life that I have entertained the thoughts but coming from where I come from and the background that started me on my journey, I learned that I am a fighter, and if you fall on your back and can look up, then you can get up. Read more>>

Sejal ($EJ) Kargal | Indian-American Artist & Singer-Songwriter

Knowing whether to keep going or to give up is a deeply personal journey, intertwined with passion, purpose, and perseverance. Music has been my lifelong love, from learning the violin at age 6 to performing in symphony groups throughout my life to my own current independent music project as a singer-songwriter. Growing up, I never saw authentic representation of South Asians in the American music industry, which fueled my determination to change the narrative. Despite facing challenges and feeling overshadowed by industry giants, the desire to fill this void and showcase the richness of South Indian culture keeps me going. While the path may seem daunting at times, the prospect of inspiring others like me to embrace their roots and pursue their dreams makes every struggle worthwhile. My journey isn’t just about creating music; it’s about paving the way for underrepresented voices and fostering a more inclusive industry for future generations. Read more>>

Buel | Artist

If the best possible outcome is still making you happy I don’t think how far you’re from it matters Read more>>

Malcolm Minor | Actor/Singer/Poet/Public Speaking Coach

I believe that is something that one must answer within themselves. As an artist, I wrestle with it all the time. The opportunity to give up will always be there. There are many days I silently give up. I never thought it would come to that for me. I NEVER thought I would be one of those actors who wanted to give up on their dreams. In today’s industry, with everything and everyone being hypervisible, it either adapt quickly or die. I felt like many actors, that I was becoming unseen and left back. That the only way to get ahead is to have some money behind you. That money would solve all my problems. Read more>>

Queen Blake | Actress & Podcaster

I think whenever people are being inspired you have to keep going. There really isn’t a reason to give up besides if your career isn’t serving you anymore. Read more>>

 Joana Sosa | Modest Influencer and Content Creator

Giving up can’t, shouldn’t, and will not be an option for me. I have learned that throughout life, you are either moving forwards or backwards. I love what I do and have come to realize the impact being yourself and consistently showing up has on your audience. I may not be famous, but having the attention of people around the world is a gift I will not waste or lose. Read more>>

Breion 2’Live Bre Dixon | Hip hop Mogul & Founder

I know that everyday I live to move forward on my dreams. Some people think dreams only live when you are sleep but that dream is something that keeps you up at night. Every Hour that I live, I think about my vision for what I want my life to be. I can not give up on the things that make me. Most people call that joy and joy is way better than happiness it brings, love. Read more>>

Marie Massa | Horticulturist focusing on California native plants

I was inspired with the idea of creating a California Native Plant Corridor when my son started school on Ave. 20 in Lincoln Heights. My family is also a member of the Lincoln Heights Trash Club and one day we were picking up trash on Ave. 20 and I saw the planter boxes in the parkway. A resident came out and talked to us and asked what we were doing. He then told us that his daughter had put in these planter boxes as part of a Girl Scout project in 2016 and planted them with Bush Sunflower and California Buckwheat. This gave me the idea to continue this beautification project and expand it to plant the area from the sidewalk to the freeway on-ramp wall with California natives. Read more>>

TROY RAMEY | Singer-Songwriter

I’ve thought about giving up countless times. I still do, probably at least once a week. But I try to remember what it felt like when I had absolutely no momentum. When I was sitting in a cubicle dreaming of being in charge of my life, chasing a dream, moving towards my goal of being an artist. Read more>>