How to Keep Going When You Want to Quit (8 solid tips)
Sometimes, I can’t even. And I know I’m not alone. Losing stride and feeling unmotivated is super normal – it’s very human of us.
Luckily, I’ve picked up a few tricks over the years that have helped me stop this mood in its tracks.
So here’s my quick guide on how to keep going when you want to quit.
Let’s get to it.
Table of Contents Show
Why We Feel Like Quitting (11 reasons)
Before jumping into the tips section, let’s explore why we get these feelings of ennui in the first place.
Of course, it’s different for everyone, but there are a few common themes.
Here are some of the top reasons for wanting to quit a project or endeavor:
It’s harder than expected
You don’t have a clear why, purpose or goal
Life gets busy or you don’t have time
Priorities or values change
You’re experiencing shiny object syndrome
It’s not what you expected
Personal circumstances change
Burnout and fatigue
It feels like no one believes in you (no support)
Simply losing interest
How to Keep Going When You Feel Like Quitting (8 tips)
Knowing when to let go of something is just as important as not quitting.
But that’s a discussion for another day. For now, let’s look at my favorite ways to keep showing up (when I really just want to throw in the proverbial towel).
1. Isolate the Cause
The first thing I like to do when I feel like quitting is to ask myself why.
Sometimes, there’s a clear cause for my fading motivation. And by shining a spotlight on it, it’s much easier to move forward (and hopefully resolve it).
To dial in on your cause, you can reference the reasons we feel like quitting in the section above. Otherwise, you’ll need to spend some time doing a little self reflection.
Getting to the root of a problem can be tricky business, but these insights always make us stronger and more self aware.
Your primary goal in isolating your cause should be in trying to answer this one, “simple” question:
What’s vexing me? (and why is it so?)
2. Do It for the Plot (your hero’s journey)
If I had to choose a favorite modern phrase, it’s this: do it for the plot.
This means doing something for your personal storyline – as if your life was a movie or a book.
I love this mindset shift.
It reminds me how boring stories would be without a little conflict or friction. So those feelings of quitting are actually important (and interesting) points in your story.
So I say, embrace the exhaustion and accept that it’s temporary and greener pastures await you. Besides, we’re much cooler stories with these struggles.
A plot mindset gives me instant appreciation for my obstacles, struggles and setbacks.
It paints the whole situation in a more creative way. My life is a story. And these are the main scenes.
The audience is watching eagerly, as me (the hero of this journey) overcomes one of the villains (feeling like quitting).
Recommended: Modern Creatorship Is the Hero’s Journey
3. Take A Break (don’t quit)
Burnout happens. And every once in a while, we need to hit pause (not stop).
Like how I space out lengthy YouTube videos over a few days. I usually don’t abandon the video altogether just because I get tired or busy. I hit pause instead, and watch it in short bursts until it’s done.
So it’s the same idea here. Except your goal or project is the YouTube video.
A great way to keep going when you want to quit is to simply step away and take a break. Forget about your project or goal and take some self care time.
Try to ignore the hustle culture and any lingering feelings of guilt. Everyone needs to take a break from time to time – even the pros, experts and leaders in your space.
When it comes to feeling like you want to quit something, stepping away has a lot of benefits:
More clarity about what to do next
Increased objectivity
Renewed energy and motivation
Better life balance
4. Get Perspective (zoom out)
As broken-record as it sounds, perspective always helps.
Zooming out adds clarity and fresh insights into where you are, how far you’ve come and where you’re going.
Getting perspective is a modern skill. We live in an on-demand world, where results and expectations are instant.
But great things take time. So patience and perspective are mindsets we can’t afford to go without.
If you’re feeling like quitting, you may just need a mindset shift with a different view. So zoom out, appreciate where you are (and the exciting journey ahead).
Recommended: Why Mindset Matters So Much
5. Watch Motivational Content
Love it or hate it, motivational videos work. And there’s definitely no shortage of them.
They’re super easy to find and you can explore lots of different styles and personalities to suit your preferred flavor of inspiration.
Admittedly though, these aren’t always effective. I need to be in the right mindset, so I’m receptive to the motivational hype.
But they do work.
So if you’ve been on the fence, just give them a fair chance. Just try to watch them in private though. I find the messaging and main points hit the hardest if I’m alone or with headphones.
You can also organize them into a playlist, so you can periodically circle back to your favorites.
Here are a few of my favorite creators for motivation:
Jay Shetty
For self development and mindset motivation
Gary Vee
For entrepreneurial motivation
Next Level Soul
For bigger picture “wait, is magic real?” motivation
Rick Rubin or Amy McNee of inspiredtowrite
For creativity motivation
6. Get Back to Fun
Motivation drops when we’re not having fun anymore. So let’s get back to a place of play.
This advice is so simple. It’s cliché and almost too obvious to mention – like “drink more water, it’s good for you.”
But still, we forget. We compare, get distracted and things turn into stress (or worse, work).
So this is your permission slip to stop caring so much and just have fun.
Ironically, once you do let go, you’ll work faster and more authentically. You’ll find your flow state (and other people pick up on that energy).
It’s a universal law. The less you try, the easier it becomes. The more you try to control things, the harder it is.
So just have fun.
7. Stop Trying to Do It All
You may be aware of this, but we can’t do it all.
Put another way, we can do anything (just not everything). So if you’re feeling like quitting, this could definitely be the culprit.
At least, I know this is a common reason for me.
Nothing zaps my drive to keep pushing forward with a project than a lack of focus and feelings of overwhelm.
Digital fatigue is real.
So my best advice is to trim the fat and just focus on one (or two) things at a time. Once those projects stabilize (or you hit key milestones), you can add more stuff into the mix.
This is the sustainable approach to doing stuff, whatever that stuff may be.
I love making short films, writing and producing music, singing, blogging…
But when I tried to do it all (earlier on, while I was still skill building), I quickly became discouraged, tired and felt like quitting.
So lessen the load – you’ll thank yourself later.
8. Consult WIth Future You
This one requires some imagination (but it’s super effective).
Simply ask yourself this question:
What would future you say or do?
It’s best to imagine the most ideal version of yourself and who you hope to become. Think about every detail, from the clothes you’re wearing to the scents in that future air.
This is a great way to quickly realize an obvious answer – something that you intuitively know already.
The truth is, that future version of yourself (who already has everything you’re trying to reach for) is you. It’s the same person.
Of course, future you probably has some more insights and experience. But at the core, it’s the same person.
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