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?

Amandia Craig | Singer/Songwriter/Entreprenuer

The way I know when to keep going or give up is to check in with yourself. Ask questions. Really tap in to how the situation feels, count the pros and cons, then simply decide. Also, know that it’s okay to decide to put an end to something that doesn’t suit your goals. The idea is progress. Read more>>

Kamala McWhinney | Therapist, Coach & Psychological Safety Consultant

Looking back over my life’s journey so far, I’m surprised by the pride I feel as I reflect on this question. The pride is stemming not from a list of achievements, but in how many things I have dared to do. An inherent in that, is how many risks I have dared to embrace. Some of these thing are no longer in my “portfolio.” For example, in 2011 I started a Bridal Boutique. That journey ended in 2019. For 7 years I rode the wave of entrepreneurship and I low-key loved it. There came a time, though, when the brick & mortar entrepreneur in me needed to be full-time in my business for it to have the best chance of succeeding. Read more>>

Al Pizzle | Musician / DJ / Radio Personality / Motivational Speaker

The real answer to that question is to answer these following questions: What is your WHY? Is your WHY worth giving up, or worth it enough to keep going? My WHY used to be for selfish reasons, such as wanting to prove myself right regardless of what others thought about me. It was never about proving anybody wrong. I wanted to prove to myself that I was/am more than capable of accomplishing absolutely anything that I put my heart into. As I’ve dove deeper in my journey of life, I’ve slowly started to realize that my WHY has extended beyond my own satisfactions. There will be so many moments where you just want to throw your hands up and give it all up. Read more>>

Maceo Boone | Musician

That’s such an interesting question to me. The way I see it is that when I feel like giving up that’s when I gotta go harder. I try to think about my music and career like a muscle. I need to push myself to get results, I can’t keep lifting weights that don’t stress my body anymore. You need a bit of weight to progress. So at the hardest moments I know that it’s a test and as long as your eye is on the prize fighting through is going to be worth everything it took to get there. Read more>>

Martine Fortune | Jill of many trades

I think this is something that people should address more. Self-doubt and fear can be so powerful when you don’t know your purpose yet. To me, the hardest thing in the world to do is keep going when you aren’t getting the results you want and feel like you should just give up. That’s when you should recognize that your mindset is key. Its all in your spirit and how you talk to yourself. I’m not saying to be delusional. But if God put something in your heart, in your spirit…. don’t ever give up. Read more>>

Taisha DeAza | Entrepreneur

As most of the world, 2020 was one of the most difficult and confusing years of my life. For me, it was filled with extreme highs and lows. April of 2020, I was at a high- I had become a mother to my first child, a boy named Kyler. By November, I had experienced my worst low-I had lost my dad, my best friend, my mentor, and one of my favorite people in the entire world. Without my dad, I felt lost in this world. I knew that if I didn’t find something I was passionate about, I was going to lose myself. My dad used to always tell me, “time will pass either way.” I was confident that I could find a way to combine motherhood and my entrepreneurial skills- hence the birth of Bunnies Ark. I am so thankful I did not give up because I have never been more passionate about something. My passion keeps me going. Read more>>

Hayley Kirchoff | Licensed Mental Health Counselor & Play Therapist

I check in with myself regularly to see how I’m feeling about it. If I feel more dread when I’m pursuing something than I feel challenged, it’s probably time to switch directions, or make a plan to stop and do something else. Read more>>