5 Ways to Hack Giving Up
When I started this blog a little over a year ago, I hired a personal trainer to help me “look good” for my wedding, which happened to be about three months later. During this time, working out 2 hours a day with my trainer, David, I learned a lot about the body, but I learned even more about the mind.
I had written a few posts about the correlation between earning a passive income and working out at the gym, which I’ll quickly summarize for you below:
- Both are not easy;
- Both take time and dedication before you begin to notice any significant results;
- Your “workout plan” should be determined by what you want to achieve, not the other way around; and
- You’ll want to give up.
This last point is a killer. You’ll want to give up.
For most people, including myself, anything that requires an exhaustive, extraordinary, and often painful amount of effort includes thoughts about giving up.
- “It’s too hard…”
- “It’s worthless…”
- “It hurts…”
- “I don’t have the time…”
- “I want to quit…”
Have you said these things to yourself before?
I have…plenty of times. When I was training with David for my wedding, I thought about giving up at least once during each session. When I started getting serious with my online business, I thought about giving up because I wasn’t sure if what I was doing was worth the effort. And several times within the first 6 months of creating The Smart Passive Income Blog, I wanted to give up because it was hard to keep up.
I have many other examples from my life where I wanted to give up, and in many instances I did. I’m not proud of those moments. And what makes me even more depressed is to see other people’s hard work come to a halt because they’ve given up as well. I often come across superb blogs in random Google searches, only to find that the latest blog post was from 6 months ago, or longer.
It’s my hope that the following list of “hacks” will prevent you from giving up and help you keep going. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do – just don’t give up, because you could have something special in the works, you just don’t realize it yet.
1. Remember Why You’re Doing What You’re Doing
If my mind tells me to quit, I consciously remember the underlying reason why I put myself in that situation in the first place. This can be a hard thing to do, especially if you’re frustrated, or in pain. But, sometimes all it takes is a conscious effort of just remembering why we’re there to put it all back into perspective and keep us going.
2. Don’t Give Yourself a Back Door
Sometimes, we’re given an option to back out, which makes giving up much easier (and tempting). We should eliminate those options, so we have no choice but to follow through.
For example, many gyms will give you a free training session before you make your decision about setting up a long-term training plan. In addition, they give you the option of getting your money back for any training sessions that you don’t attend.
Why not buy 3 months worth of training sessions without taking the free training session, and without the option of ever getting your money back? This way, you won’t be tempted to skip any sessions, and you’ll have the motivation to go and get your money’s worth each and every time.
3. Tell Someone What You Plan To Do Next
By simply announcing what you plan to do next, you feel like you have an obligation to follow through. If you don’t, you might feel that you’re either letting a person or a group of people down, or they’ll see you as a failure (or both).
This is a technique that I use all of the time, especially here on this blog. For instance, I announced that I was writing an eBook before I had even started. This forced me to make sure it was going to get done. And yes, it’s done. 
Also, I often announce what my next blog post will be, even though I don’t know exactly what that blog post will include. That way, I’ll be sure that it will indeed be written on time.
4. Give Yourself a Deadline
For many people, including myself, if there’s a due date for something, giving up is the last thing on my mind.
It’s ingrained in our minds to think this way because of how we were taught in school. If you give up, you get an F. No one wants an F.
So, figure out a due date that will force you to work on your task and write it where you can see it. And, if you’re like me, you may end up with better results because you work better under pressure too!
5. Find People With Similar Goals
Find people who share the same goals as you, and be there to support and motivate each other at all times.
When I’m with a person or groups of people who want the same thing as me, giving up doesn’t even cross my mind. I don’t know if it’s because I don’t want to let those people down, or because I don’t want them to “get ahead” of me – whatever it is, it works.
This is why it’s so much easier to go to the gym or stay on a diet if someone else is doing it with you. It’s also the reason why I’ve been able to keep up with this blog and my other internet businesses too.
I have quite a few “online buddies”. Some of them are part of mastermind groups I’m in, and others are just like-minded people who I chat with on Skype. We share our goals, our hardships, and help each other out when we’re in need.
A part of me really wants to make sure I keep working hard so I don’t let these people down. Another part of me wants to work even harder, so I can keep up with them, or, do better, if possible. It’s like a friendly competition, where we all just want to be successful together.
How about you?
What techniques or “hacks” have you used to keep going, when you just wanted to throw in the towel and give up?
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Posted on : December 16th, 2009
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70 Comments (Click Here to Leave a Comment Below)
Hi Pat -
I’m so intrigued by this post. I’ve been thinking about creating a post like this. I’m currently studying to become a certified personal trainer and I keep a fitness blog but I’m also working on creating a passive income and they are very much alike!
Hey Melinda! Thanks for the comment! They are indeed very much alike, and I wish you the best of luck in both respects
I’d definitely say one of mines is consciously finding ways to motivate myself by reading the success stories of others who have gone before me in the goals I’m trying to reach, or in another sense… I find that by reading short biographies on “self-made” individuals I’m usually really inspired with a “I can do THIS!” attitude.
Another little hack is keeping a folder with a collection of goals complete with pictures with the things you want to achieve. It acts as a visual reminder as to why it is I’m doing what I’m doing.
Good stuff Pat! Just the inspiration I needed.
Hey Ron! I think your idea about keeping a folder with pictures is a fantastic idea. Do you mean a real, physical folder, as opposed to one on the computer? I think a real one that I could flip through and look at from time to time would do so much more for me. Thanks for the great tip!
Actually it’s a mixture of both! I keep a folder on my desktop when I need a quick “jolt” of motivation, but I print out those things that really mean the most to me and I keep them either in a folder or somewhere I can see em everyday. Sort of like that Audi you’ve got up by your PC (youtube vid)!!!
I forgot to answer the question – oops!
My fitness blog keeps me motivated because I post each and every workout I do, along with fitness-related posts. If I stop posting about my workouts, readers may think I’ve quit working out. How fun would it be to read a fitness blog that somebody has stopped contributing to? Practice what you preach, right?
Writing keeps me motivated because I think about fitness. I’ve wanted to give up many times because it is hard, it does take effort and time but I try to think about what I’ve achieved so far – both in terms of weight lost, muscle tone gained and income from my writing.
The more work you put in, the more you’ll get out of it. Never give up. If need be, take a short break, but never give up.
)
Practice what you preach – exactly
Like you, writing about what I’m doing, and sharing it with others definitely keeps me motivated to keep going. And indeed, a person’s success is directly proportional to the amount of work that person puts in. Thanks again Melinda!
My lifestyle development blog keeps my fuel on fire as it’s really my opportunity to speak from the heart and share my life experiences with others. This in turn creates conversations, which I learn and grow from.
My other blog at spineatopia.com is more difficult. It is a natural health care blog that requires a bit of time and research to generate. Although I know all the information in detail that I’m writing about I have to substantiate it with links and references, so I don’t just look like some crazy anti-conventional medicine dude.
I have thoughts of letting spineatopia go in order to focus all my energy to forty2fifty.com. I’m still up in the air about this though. I figured I give it another month and look at the statistics and let them tell me what to do.
Great article… Thanks
Hi Jason, good luck on your decision to about your other blog. I know it can be a tough one. I’ve left a few before myself, and you just have to make sure you’re going with what you’re passionate about and can see yourself writing in years to come
All the best to you!
Great post! This is a great motivator for me, as I’m someone who has started blogging projects and then scrapping them without giving it time. I guess in a way I’m still trying to figure out a niche I enjoy writing about and can stick with. Although I think I have it figured out, this put me in perspective as I get back into blogging. Thanks so much!
Hey Susan! I think it sometimes takes a few “practice swings” before you can hit that homerun. I wish you all the best of luck!
Hi Pat,
Since my blog is almost a newborn, it was really sad looking at ‘No Comment’ after ‘No Comment’ after each post. I decided that I would reach out and leave comments on similar blogs related to passive income or lifestyle development. Monday bore no fruit, but Tuesday, I got a few comments, which was an instant pick-me-up.
I think the support of other like-minded people online has been incredible and it’s great to hear positive feedback. I think my exhaustion has been a combination of preparing for my three week trip, full-time job, eHow, and keeping up with my blog.
Hopefully I will set small goals and see if I make them each month, because I really want to “make something happen” and enjoy my life traveling (and make it happen for others around me!)
Great uplifting post, Pat!
Wow, it seems like you have a ton on your plate! I think you’re handling things perfectly, and setting yourself up with small, manageable goals will help you achieve any larger goals you may have for long term.
Also, going out and commenting on other blogs is a great way to get noticed, especially if you leave comments like these, which are excellent
Cheers, and best of luck to you!
Pat,
Some of the things that have kept me from giving up are actually things others have done. As far as a web site goes, someone posting a comment on an article has kept me motivated to keep writing when I thought no one cared. A retweet of some link I found interesting has showed that someone listened.
What can we do to keep others from giving up? If you believe in the principle of Karma, giving that encouragement to others might very well supply it for ourselves.
Thanks!
Hey Steve, I couldn’t agree more. When someone leaves a comment, just like you have hear, I get so motivated and that’s why i think I’m able to actually respond to each one individually. (At least for now while the number of comments is still relatively low, hehe!).
I TOTALLY believe in “blogging karma”. I attribute a lot of my success to it
Excellent comment, thank you!
Right on. You’ll always want to give up when initial excitement wears off. That’s when you want to have a clear picture of what you’re trying to achieve and do. It also doesn’t hurt – like you said – to have training partners or people that hold you accountable.
I think one of the most important things about being consistent and just doing stuff is doing something you truly love. It is easy to jump into something because it might be good, but you aren’t really passionate about. That’s a sure-fire recipe for falling flat on your face (and eating that delicious chocolate cake)
Wow, you hit it right on the nail, Henri. If you’re doing what you love, even though it may be tough sometimes, it will never be something you’ll actually want to give up, cause it’s what you like to do!
Pat, you’ve been an inspiration to me since I first entered the blogging world. I’m currently training for a way future marathon (up to 10K level at this time), and blogging is much the same. I also want to work at just 1% improvement per day this coming year, so that I hit 365% improvement by the end of the year of 2010!
Nice Steve! I wish I could disciipline myself to train for a marathon as well. Running a full marathon is something I hope to do sometime in my life. Keep it up!
And I love your 1% improvement each day motto – that’s awesome
One step at a time adds up to a lot 
Good luck with everything!
Pat,
I think many people encounter a temptation to quit, especially when faced with uncertainty governing future success. The truth is, no matter how much we gauge possible interest in our products, or user interest in possibly purchasing, there is never really any guarantee. We implement strategies and controls to no end, but, its hard to know 100% with certainty that a product or venture will be a success.
I guess that is part of being an entrepreneur. Accepting risk, having the knowledge and skill to limit the risk as much as possible, and having the passion and drive to see goals through to the end.
(lol…of course, I manage to pull this full circle back to my own project…but, the truth is, I have learned so much in the 2-3 months I’ve been producing my eBook course…)….
….As an Army Officer, quitting is out of the question, however, i’d be lying if I didn’t say that sometimes I question whether or not my product will be embraced in the way that I think (hope) it will. Accompanying my eBook status updates, I’ve had roughly 100 or so people express interest in purchasing, but, talk is cheap until people actually put the money out in a trying economy….
I think this fear sometimes can cause people to quit, or, even worse, never even try at all.
Yep, a huge part of being an entrepreneur is accepting risk, but I think that’s what makes entrepreneurs stand out from the rest – we understand risk, and with certain risks, come certain rewards as well.
You’re almost done with your product! Woohoo!
Great tips, Pat! I am actually working out the details for a little competition on my blog after the first of the year. “Improve Yourself 2010″ will be focused on providing accountability around specific goals for the first 8 weeks of the year. I was originally going to focus it only on fitness, since that’s what I’ll be focused on personally, but I think I’ll open it up to any specific area of life where concrete goals can be set and achieved (finances, parenting, spirituality, etc.). I’m literally just working out the details today through discussions on my Facebook page wall.
Anyway, awesome post and very well timed as we approach a fresh new year and the motivation (and subsequent giving up) that often comes with it!
Thanks Dustin! I’ll definitely have to check out the competition on your blog. It might be tough because of the new arrival in the family, but I do have a lot of goals in my head for the new year regarding the new baby
I’ll come by and check out your FB page today.
Cheers!
I started a 12 Days of Christmas Fitness Quest on Facebook for my friends who wanted to use daily exercise as a pre-emptive strike against holiday weight gain. I’ve been shocked at how many people have thanked me for setting up an accountability system like this. But, really I did it for myself. Since I have to post my time and exercise everyday on the group page, and I’m the leader… I can’t quit! That’s about as “hack” as you can get!
BTW, I teach Sunday School at church as a way to keep me accountable to my faith. It works every time.
Hi Shelli! Thanks for your wonderful comment!
What a great idea for a task leading up to Christmas! Can you describe how you “pitched” it? Maybe it’s something we can all benefit from regarding out blogs or online businesses as well somehow
Thanks again Shelli!
I use the “I said I’d do it so I have to” method. I’m not particularly fond of making commitments and not following through with them. Time sensitive tasks trigger my “OCD” and I end up arriving places and completing obligations and goals earlier than expected.
Your blog is such a positive place to visit.
Hi Ms. Freeman! Again, thank you for your comments, they always make me smile
I think I’m in the same boat as you as far as time sensitive material. For some reason, I always truly get things done earlier when there’s an approaching deadline.
All the best to you!
Hey Pat,
A mastermind group will be helpful. My mastermind group consist of me and one of my friends. It really helps to keep one as we always try to keep one another going and we motivate each other to push forward to our goals.
I got to admit that I would give up on trying to generate a passive income online long time ago if it wasn’t for my mastermind group.
Vincent
Thanks Vincent – a mastermind group is worth it’s weight in gold. I think I too would have given up on numerous occasions with my online business (and this blog) if it wasn’t for that motivating group of people who we work with. Cheers!
You know when I first heard of Yaro’s Mastermind group I have to admit I was HIGHLY skeptical. But if you are a member of it and you are demonstrating here what you are learning there then I may need to rethink my opinion.
The cost of the program on the other hand is still out of my league, but clearly well worth it.
Oops! I just plugged the wrong group. My bad….
Internet Business Mastery Academy…;)
Pat,
I still have not given up. I feel like you wrote this post for me (probably not, but I’ll pretend). My last final exam is tomorrow, and I’m very excited to have a month off of school to work on my ebook. Well I still have to work 40 hours a week, but I’m going to set aside 1 hour each morning just for working on it.
When I was first studying to get my Cisco Certification I payed $125 to register for the test 1 month in advance. I had been putting off taking the test for months and its amazing how quickly your study habits improve when your own money is on the line.
And 4 years ago when I was trying to learn Spanish, I had been struggling for months making very little progress, but as soon as I put myself in a small village in Honduras where no one spoke English I didn’t have much of a choice but to speak Spanish just to survive.
Thanks Pat Your Awesome!
Hey Blake! It’s good to hear from you again! Is that a baby in your picture I see? If he/she is yours, congratulations!
I love your examples of forcing yourself to do stuff. The money thing usually works, because as you said, your money is on the line. The learning Spanish example is so cool, and I think that’s exactly what I would do if I was in the same situation. It reminds me of when my dad bought me a new truck with a manual transmission, when I got my driver’s license. I was basically forced to learn how to drive manually, but because I really had no choice, I picked it up fairly quickly.
Keep up the good work on your site and your eBook! Cheers bud!
Accountability and due dates are really key for my productivity. Having deadlines especially is important so I am forced to schedule what needs to be done so that it actually gets done on time. It’s funny, having a baby is one motivating “due date”! I’ve been very productive these past 9 months since I know my time will be much more limited after she arrives.
Hi Sarah! I totally know what you mean, especially these last few months, we’ve done so much too because our due date is coming up as well! I’m looking forward to seeing some wonderful pictures of your beautiful baby on your blog
Hang in there!
Note on #3:
There’s actually research that indicates that public announcements for plans makes people less likely to follow through the announced plans, not more likely. I can dig up the papers if you’re interested.
Hey Pete. Sure, shoot a link over if you have time. I’m definitely interested because it’s the opposite of what I thought would be the case for most people. I wonder how accurate this data is too, because you can’t really measure the people who didn’t announce their plans and didn’t follow through either, because a lot of it happens on a subconscious level as well.
Pat,
I’ve been a lurker for a while but I finally had to stop and comment (your blog is awesome, just fyi…). This post really hit home because I also have a few newborn projects coming online, thanks to a buddy of mine that is actually in your Platinum group I believe.
Anyway, this post really got me thinking about the ways I let myself off the hook. I’m working on getting a couple of mastermind groups up and running and I believe these will help focus my energy in the new year. I think this post will be one of the things I put in my new “Ron” folder. Thanks Pat (and Ron for the great folder idea) keep up the good work!
Hey Kevin, thanks for “unlurking” and leaving a comment
Mastermind groups will DEFINITELY help you. Without them, I don’t think I’d be where I’m at today. It not only helps you not give up, but it helps you excel too. Good luck with everything, and please come by again and leave a comment if you have any thoughts. Cheers Kevin!
I read motivational statements to myself every morning. It’s funny but if you do it long enough (and make them believable enough) you’ll find them popping out right at the moment when you get discouraged. So eventually your brain starts jumping in to encourage you.
Hey Jackie! Totally agree, it’s kind of like training yourself to act a certain way in certain situations that you know will help you get through them. Awesome hack!
“Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday”. hehehe.
1 to 4 already known to me. 5th a new one for me. “Find People With Similar Goals” this really do wonders. I had started making new online friends (mostly bloggers) so that i can stay motivated about my blogging.
Really like the Title.
Hey Pat, i am SPI fan at facebook but would like to be connected with your profile.
Azad Shaikh
http://www.internetgeeks.org
Hey Azad! the 5th one is probably the most powerful, at least for me.
Friend me on FB, and I’ll accept
Hey Pat,
Love this post. And very timely indeed. I have just started working on IBMA and creating my blog. Your posts are soon becoming a part of my support system.
Keep em comin.
Cheers,
Pratik
Hey Pratik,
Glad to hear you liked the post, and that you’re part of the academy too! I’m always here for support, I’ll do my best to keep em comin
Hey Pat,
…any word on how the SPI re-design is coming along?….can’t wait to see it, man…..
Hey Howie! The re-design is done! It’s been done for a couple of weeks not, it’s just waiting on my butt to complete the eBook. All i need is a title, and a couple of videos recorded, and I’ll be all set. It’s so close!!
Awesome, Pat! Almost there! (for both of us…lol!)
and…another random question here that’s completely unrelated to this post, Pat…lol…
I was looking through your eHow section…
Was THIS article deleted or something? errr….what kind of reason did they give for the deletion, if you don’t mind me asking?
08/03/09 How to Pass the LEED Green Associate Exam
Ugh, yes – that article, which had earned me a couple of hundred dollars, was indeed deleted. The reason, they say, was because the steps didn’t take one through the complete process of passing the exam. Blah. I think I might re-write this article, because it drove in a lot of traffic, AND it has earned me $30 bucks alone each month it was up just on eHow.
hm…I just wrote a lengthy response, but it didn’t seem to submit…weird…
anyways…yeah, that really stinks, Pat!
if you don’t mind me asking, again….how long was that article on eHow before they decided that it needed to be deleted, Pat?
…and, was that one of your highest earners?
It wasn’t my highest earners, those are still up. It probably did get me some leads for sales though! The article was on there for about 3 months.
Awesome post, Pat.
I’m really amazed at the frequency at which you are producing these quality posts, man.
My personaly sticking point is constantly reminding myself what I am working towards and why it’s worth it. That’s the most effective thing for me, but also the most difficult thing to consistently do.
Thanks Shane! I’ve been finding a lot of inspiration lately to write these articles. Been feelin’ really good
Hey Pat,
Here’s another trick I use that has to do with the picture folder. You can use Google Picassa, which is free, to make a really nice collage from photos that you select. I have mine on my computer desktop, so I look at it every time I open my laptop.
If you want to see what mine looks like, you can go to my site and then hit the “my dream life” link at the very top.
Ahh, that’s an awesome tip Jen. I’ll have to look into Picassa. Google never ceases to amaze me with all of the free services they have. Thanks!
Great post Pat.
Thanks Jordan!
Hi Pat, very motivating article. My problem is what Howie mentions in his comment, and that is I find it hard starting. I’ve read all the blogs, listened to all the pod casts, but I’m so scared of failure that I can’t get myself motivated to start! I think I just have to bite the bullet and go for it, maybe draw up a plan of action and some timelines.
What sort of business/project plans do you create?
Hey Eddy, I know what you mean about the fear of failure, but I think this other article of mine will help, in case you haven’t read it already: http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/3-ways-to-slap-fear-in-the-face-and-laugh/
As far as business plans, I don’t worry about them with blogging or internet business type stuff. I just, as you say, bite the bullet and go for it. Hustle, and try to crush it
Very good tips. I definitely think announcing to others what you plan to do next will force you to be committed and make it happen. All too often we feel like we are blowing our cover or breaking a secret like an inventor posting his invention before its patented.
Making passive income is a lifestyle. You have to stay dedicated.
Thanks Pat-I actually heard you interviewed by Yaro, made by was over to IBMA, read/listened to a bunch of stuff, and finally joined the Academy with the “deal of the year.” So obviously I’m fighting a bit of overwhelm
But I am trying to be patient a get thru a bit at a time. My situation is the opposite-training/working out is so ingrained and a part of my life that stopping that is not an option. (I’m on th treadmill now-hence the typos) Working 40 hrs, training 7 hrs per week, and learning and building my business-this post was a welcome kick in the butt.
Happy Holidays!
Hey Pat, another very thought provoking post.
I agree that the parallels between training and building streams of passive income are undeniable. Gym training is often called body-BUILDING, and for a good reason. Given the inherently gradual nature of building muscle, I often think of gym work as being similar to laying down layer after layer of paint on something: the benefit from each session by itself is imperceptible, but eventually you will really notice a difference.
Working on a blog and setting up passive income is similar, in my mind. Each post, each comment, each $, are little layers that you have to lay down, eventually building into something bigger than the sum of the parts!
What a great article Pat. You really hit the point that we are our own enemy when tempted to quit something.
Thank you,
EF
Wow, there are a lot of comments. I’ll have to put you on my Google Reader. But this is just what the doctor ordered. I really felt like giving up today (though I never do) so I’m taking a break from “work” to relax and de-frustrate myself. My blog is about working out so I guess I have a double whammy, lol. I can totally relate to your analysis.
I’ve prayed about my online success, and I have faith that my Lord won’t quit on me as long as I don’t quit on myself. I also keep my “Wealth Why’s” posted near my computer to remind me of my long term motivation/goals. I have big dreams that I’ll never achieve if I let this step defeat me. Thanks for the post.
I’ve noticed that from time to time I do get depressed and think “this will never work”. I start to think the whole idea of being a photographer is just crazy. The logical thing to do would be to just continue with my day job forever, never trying anything new.
I find, however, that if I just wait a couple of hours and take my mind off of it, I’m able to pull out of that funk. It’s momentary. It’s tough, I do want to quit from time to time. I’ve just barely started my project365 (a picture a day for a year) and already I have days where I think “man, do I really have to do this today??” but when I start working on it, I get motivated, and it’s easy. It’s pushing myself to start that is the hard, after that, it just flows.
[...] I think too much and at times to my detriment. I was reading an article the other day over at Smart Passive Income when I realized that my thoughts are my greatest ally, and my greatest enemy. I have come up with [...]
Great post and timely. I am just restarting my journey and was already beginning to feel depressed and thinking is this really worth it and am I just doing this for nothing?
The hardest thing is knowing if what you’re doing is actually worthwhile to other people, especially when feedback and advice is rather scarce initially.
I really appreciate you taking the time to post this info for readers like me to read.
[...] Never give up, and remember why you’re doing what you’re doing. If good intentions are behind what you do, your hard work will definitely pay off. [...]