How not to give up on your dreams?
Patience, Persistence, and Perseverance
Ever came across a topper of the X exam who used to study 10 hours a day? And said it to yourself that you can also do it, study… for 10 hours. You even tried doing it. But couldn’t do it for more than an hour, and eventually gave up.
You hear all these great stories of extraordinary people and their incredible feats. You know inside that you can do it too. What they have achieved you can do too. Well, this might sound like a slap to your face but let me tell you. You can’t. Not unless you change your outlook and methods.
How bad do you want it?
It will come down to whether the goal you are pursuing is your own or borrowed from someone else. Even if it is borrowed, do you care about it enough to keep going when it gets hard?
Here are some things from my bucket list: Learn piano, German, and Spanish, climb Mount Everest, dive into the Mariana Trench, and jump out of a plane. I am now realizing as I write this, that climbing Mount Everest is a borrowed goal. I don’t care about it enough to dedicate months, years, to go through the immense pain, not to mention the risk of death.
It takes two months for a round trip to Everest. But months of training, failed expeditions caused by bad weather, and unsuccessful attempts make it years of effort.
We often get inspired to start something because we think “we should” or it’s cool, or we do it under peer pressure. Try things out, and see if you really enjoy it. Does it align with who you are or wish to become? If it’s a yes then here’s how you will succeed in it.
Why Gradual Progression is the Key
The great feats we hope to achieve are all possible. It will take patience and a shift of mindset. We set wrong expectations whenever we start something new. You don’t kill it on the first day. You’re a beginner and you will suck. But If you keep going, you improve. So many people are afraid to start because they don’t want to look like amateurs. They want to be perfect from day one.
You don’t lift 100 kg on your 1st day in the gym. You learn the proper form, slowly increase weight each week, eat more protein, rest adequately, and build more strength. It is months of consistent effort, before you are able to lift 100 kg
Gradual progression allows us to be playful without putting ourselves under excessive stress. You cannot study 10 hours a day right from day one, especially if you’ve never done so before. But, 30 min/day is doable. You can keep increasing it until you reach the level you desire.
Success is achieved by taking small actions and consistent efforts.
Why Consistency Matters
Learning something 10 minutes daily is more effective than learning it for 3 hours on Sunday. Daily practice makes the information stick because it allows your mind more time to process it. Remember that your subconscious mind is always at work. Plus, you get more nights for your neurons to wire and make stronger connections.
Whenever you try something new, your brain forms new connections between your neurons. The more you repeat the activity, the stronger the connections grow. The easier the activity becomes. Remember, “Neurons that fire together, wire together.”
When starting a journey, whether it’s designing, learning software, or anything else. Make sure to do it every day, even on your bad days. Why? Because taking meaningful action toward something you want can save a bad day.
When Most Give Up
The results of our actions are often delayed. When you get one percent better every day it is hard to notice your progress. There will be instances when you won’t see any results for a long time. Many become disappointed and give up at this point.
This is the crucial moment where you will remind yourself, that even though success is nowhere in sight, you are making progress. Keep moving forward with confidence, knowing that success will eventually come your way. Your efforts are not in vain; they are adding up until they surprise you and erupt like a volcano.
The only difference between successful people and normal people is normal people stop when they are good enough. Successful people keep going anyway.
Takeaways
- Do it for yourself, not for society or friends.
- Slow growth is better than no growth, gradually increase the difficulty level.
- Consistency matters more than intensity, keep it sustainable.
- Success is a process, not a destination. Keep getting better.
If you find this valuable, please share it with others. I am currently on a Building 12-Habits Over 36-Week challenge, consider following me on Instagram for updates.
