Why Most People Give Up—And How To Make Sure You Don’t
Ever wondered why some people push through struggles while others give up? It’s not talent, luck, or intelligence—it’s their WHY.
Life is full of ups and downs. Throughout life, we will go on many different journeys—some long, some short—pursuing something… a dream, a goal. But the journey never goes exactly as planned. Some moments will be effortless. Others will test you. Life will throw curveballs at us, and it will test us many times.
When things are going well, everything feels easy. We go with the flow, people cheer us on, and we might even feel unstoppable!
But when things get hard—and they always do eventually—that’s when the real test begins.
And when shit hits the fan (side note: can someone explain where this expression comes from? I want to know what happened 🤣), having a goal or dream alone isn’t always enough.
There will be times when we want to give it all up because it feels too hard. We’ll wonder if it’s even worth the effort, the challenges, and the pain.
During those times, two things are essential:
• A support system. Let’s be real—when everything is fine, people are around and up for a party. But when things get tough and we actually need help? There are usually far fewer people by our side. Having the right people supporting us when we can barely support ourselves can change everything.
• A strong WHY. Some call it purpose, vision, or mission—pick whatever resonates with you. But having something bigger than just a goal or dream is key if we want to succeed and keep going when things get tough.
I’ve already shared the importance of having the right people around you in this post.
Now, let’s focus on the WHY.
Why a Strong WHY Matters
Without a strong WHY, the toughest challenges can break us, and we risk giving up on the journey. Let’s be honest—it’s hard to keep going when it feels like nothing we do is working. This applies to everything: relationships, work, business, health & fitness, finances, and more.
How many times have we all started something, had fun for a while, then quit at the first real obstacle? I know I have.
Why? Because I didn’t care enough about that thing to push through discomfort. I liked it when it was easy. As soon as it became slightly difficult or inconvenient? Done. Next.
Let me illustrate what I mean with a few personal examples.
1. My Entrepreneurial Graveyard
A “small” example: Just look at all the businesses I’ve tried since 2017! I’ve listed them all in my Entrepreneur Chronicles series if you want to see the graveyard. 💀
Why did I give up so quickly on so many of them? Because I wasn’t truly passionate about them. I didn’t care enough. They were fun to try, and I thought maybe I’d make money from them—but that’s it. Nothing deeper.
So, as soon as I hit a roadblock, I quit and tried something else.
If I’m being completely honest, there are only two ventures I started that had a strong WHY. I know I’ll return to them soon enough (in fact, I’m already working on one of them behind the scenes, and this newsletter is part of it 👀).
2. My Ukulele Phase
A more superficial but relatable example: I’ve always wanted to play an instrument—either drums or guitar. In 2023, while we were in India, I bought a ukulele and gave it a shot.
I had fun with it for about two months.
Then, the effort required to improve became inconvenient.
To make real progress, I needed to practice daily—but I had other priorities.
It was just one more thing to carry while traveling, and on long travel days, it became a hassle.
These small inconveniences quickly outweighed the fun, so I gave it up.
Once again, I didn’t have a WHY strong enough to overcome very minor obstacles.
3. My Health & Fitness Shift
I’ve always been somewhat active—more as a kid and teenager, then a little less in my 20s and early 30s. I knew movement and healthy eating mattered, but I never had a strong enough WHY to make them a priority.
That changed in 2020 when I joined an online personal development course. The instructor said something that completely shifted my mindset:
“I don’t want my body to stop me from being able to do anything I want to do.”
That hit me. Hard. It became a motto for me.
I’m not a gym rat or a nutrition geek. I love food—especially cheese 🤣—but since then, I’ve been more mindful about what I eat and how I move. And let’s be real, I don’t do it because I love working out. I do it because I never want my body to hold me back.
💭 If I want to climb a volcano tomorrow? I want to be able to.
💭 If I randomly decide to train for a marathon (which I won’t—I hate running 🙃), I want my body to be ready, not the reason I can’t.
That WHY keeps me moving, even on days when I don’t feel like it.
4. The Nomadic Life: Why We Keep Going
Rosie and I have different WHYs, but they align and keep us going:
My WHY: Freedom. The last few months have been hard—more than I’ve let on. Working without pay for months isn’t fun. But I keep pushing because I don’t want to lose my freedom. Any remote job would come with constraints—set schedules, location restrictions, less time with Rosie. Now that I’ve experienced true freedom, I can’t unsee it.
Some might think, “Yeah, welcome to real life, dude.” Fair enough. But I’ve lived both ways—and I choose this one. I will do everything I can to hold onto it.
Rosie’s WHY: She spent years in “shitty jobs” (her words). Retail, Subway, souvenir shops—she hated them. She was overworked, underpaid, and found zero fulfillment. The thought of going back to that life is enough to push her through any struggle as an entrepreneur. She’ll get very creative before ever taking another job she hates.
5. A Deeper Perspective: The WHY to Keep Living
Having a WHY isn’t just about achieving goals. Sometimes, it’s about having a reason to wake up in the morning.
Only a few people know this, but one of my grandmothers died by suicide in 2010. She was healthy and financially stable, but after losing my grandfather—her life partner—she didn’t see a reason to keep going.
He was her WHY. And when he was gone, so was her reason for living.
I also have a family member who, due to severe health issues, requires constant care. Their daily life is extremely limited, and most days, they sleep, as they need help with almost everything and have little autonomy. They have no real WHY anymore. I admire their resilience, because honestly? I don’t know if I could do what they do.
Final Thoughts
Life will challenge you—whatever you do, whichever path you take, you’ll encounter roadblocks.
For the things that truly matter, I encourage you to get crystal clear on your WHY. Write it down. Say it out loud.
Your WHY needs to be stronger than the struggles, setbacks, and the voice in your head telling you to quit.
And when you’re in a hole, ready to quit? Remember your WHY. It will pull you back up.
The people who succeed in life—who reach their dreams, whatever they may be—aren’t necessarily the smartest or most talented.
They’re the ones with the strongest WHY. Because when things get tough, they keep pushing. 🚀
I’d love to hear—what’s YOUR WHY? What keeps you pushing through when things get tough? Drop a comment or reply to this email.
Thanks for the very encouraging article Jeremie!
“I don’t want my body to stop me from being able to do anything I want to do” is a very powerful thought. I've never framed it that way, and now I think I will.
By the way, what you wrote reminds me a lot of the book Start with Why by Simon Sinek :)
Great post, very relatable. Had a good chuckle at entrepreneurial graveyard - I have one of those.