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?

Greg Collister | Professional Drummer

First of all, I would like to talk about why I chose this question as it is one of my most frequently asked. I hope that all of you out there reading this find your inspiration in this life and know in your heart that it is always too soon to give up. I tell everyone that asks me this that I have been on the brink of giving up & back again more than a thousand times. As i sit quietly and look back on my life I realize more each day just how much I have been through. When you realize your dream comes from the depths of your soul & from a place so far above & beyond yourself, you will let nothing stand in your way…NOTHING. No matter how painful life can be it is always worth moving forward pursing that which is in your heart. Read more>>

Roger Henry | Artist

I think most freelancers ask themselves this question all the time. In all honesty, I think the answer comes down to fear. Fear keeps me going. The fear of what I think a 9-5 desk job somewhere would be like. I’m sure there are lots of people out there that enjoy that work. I am just not designed for it. I was in line at a hardware store once and overheard a rep behind the counter say to his co-worker “yeah, I’m just waiting to get approval for my week off for vacation.” The “getting approval” about sent me into an anxiety attack, but only getting a week off really nailed it for me. I love what I do and what I do blurs the line between work and play/vacation. I may not always have the money to go on a fantastic vacation for a week, but I get work that can take me to fabulous places for months on end. Read more>>

MUKA | Artist

The best advice I have ever received and that I continue to spread to those around me is to ONLY do things that spark joy for you. This can be applied to anything…relationships, careers, lifestyles. When something or someone starts to cause anything but true joy in your life, that’s when toxicity starts to consume your life and you know flat out that you need to give up that relationship, situation, or thing. Things are never going to be perfect and there will always be obstacles in life but as long as the things you choose to focus your energy on are brining joy, the struggles are worth it. When I look back at the most miserable moments in my life, I can always connect that the reason I was miserable to begin with was because I didn’t know when to let go. Read more>>

Sica Schmitz | Writer, Teacher & Healer

This is a question I’ve had to come back to over and over again in entrepreneurship and also life. There’s a fine line between a challenge that is helping us to grow versus an obstacle that is guiding us to change directions. There are a few things I consider – and meditate on – when trying to make decisions about where to focus my time, energy, and resources: 1) How does it feel emotionally? Do I feel a sense of excitement or relief with one option over the other? 2) How does it feel physically? What is the tension in my neck/shoulders, or knot in my stomach indicating? 3) How do I feel about the original mission? Does it still call to me, even in difficult moments? 4) What is my big-picture goal right now and how do I get there? 5) Is there a middle ground. Read more>>