Want to know how to not give up on yourself? Then you’re in the right place.
Each of us has moments when life seems too difficult, when giving up seems to be the only alternative. We believe that no matter how hard we try, we will never be able to achieve our goals and fulfill our ambitions.
However, it’s all too easy to just give up. If you’re feeling down, there are some things you can do to refocus on your goals, reset your priorities and stay inspired.
Don’t give up before you try.
How To Not Give Up On Yourself:
1. Deal with negative self-talk and negative thoughts.
If you’ve taken chances and failed to get the results you wanted-you didn’t get a promotion at work, you asked someone out on a date and she turned you down, you auditioned for a play and didn’t get the part-it can be hard to resist the urge to give up.
When you catch yourself thinking negatively, consciously stop it and try to replace it with something more positive. Looking for bright sides or positives takes work, but if you stick with it, it can become a habit.
Recognize when you experience self-doubt and look at the thoughts that trigger it. You can begin to overcome thoughts of self-doubt if you understand why you are questioning yourself.
But be patient with yourself, because everyone has self-doubt from time to time and it may never completely go away.
2. Overcome feelings of powerlessness.
When things don’t go your way, it’s easy to feel powerless or like you can’t change your life.
But all it really means is that you haven’t discovered anything that works yet; either your timing was wrong, or you need to brush up on some skills, or you just haven’t found the right approach.
The important thing is to keep trying, even if it means you will be disappointed again. Persistence is the key to success.
3. Identify and express your values.
First, choose what is most important to you.
Think about what excites you most or what you would like to be known for someday. Is it academic achievement? What is the nature of your profession? What is the difference between fame and fortune?
Setting goals that are meaningful to you and consistent with your beliefs will help you stay motivated for a long time.
Determine what is most important to you. This may relate to your childhood and the values your parents instilled in you, such as money, attractiveness, success, or education. It may also manifest itself in your employment, such as whether you work in finance or for a non-profit organization.
Think about what you want out of life. Is it to achieve a good career, fulfillment, or perhaps to help others?
Make a list of your goals in order from most important to least important. Then list the life values that you believe underlie those goals. What specifically motivates you to achieve them?
4. Focus on the most critical issues.
Focus your efforts on achieving goals that you really want and that are in line with your core beliefs. If you have always wanted to be a doctor and want to help others, medical school may be a good option for you.
On the other hand, if you want to help people but still have to work in advertising, you may not be happy with your career.
Examine your list of goals and see how they fit with your needs. Do your motivations conflict with your goals or do they complement them?
Let’s say you want to be a doctor, but your motivation is not to serve people, but to make a lot of money. Do you agree with that? Or will you be unhappy with your job in the long run?
5. Establish short- and long-term objectives.
Consider creating long-term and short-term goals after carefully examining your beliefs. Having both of these goals is very important for motivation.
Short-term goals serve as checkpoints on the way to one or more long-term goals. Short-term goals help you keep track of your progress and keep you on the path to your long-term goal.
A short-term goal can be something as simple as completing an assignment on time or passing a weekly test. It will help you achieve long-term goals like getting a high grade in biology, completing an important project on time, or getting into a good university.
If you have a long-term goal, break it down into manageable parts. This will keep you motivated and help you gain confidence when you see yourself improving.
Keep a running list so you can track your progress and cross off more things. Periodic reviews will remind you of your goals while allowing you to monitor your progress.
SEE ALSO: How To Stop Taking Things Personally: 34 Strategies That Work
6. Control your expectations.
If you set unreasonable or unrealistic expectations for yourself, you could set yourself up for failure. A perfectionist is someone who always strives for the perfect career, home, or life. While striving for perfection is admirable, extreme perfectionists are often unhappy and unproductive (1).
Set the bar high for yourself, but one that you can achieve. Having a lofty goal will test and encourage you without setting you up for failure. For example, aim for a high score on an exam without demanding perfection, but be satisfied even if you fail.
Make sure you set measurable goals for yourself as well. Being the best is commendable, but as a short-term or long-term goal, it is ineffective.
If you achieve realistic goals, you will gain more confidence and be less afraid of failure.
7. Divide the work into smaller pieces.
You’ve already developed a long-term strategy with short-term goals. This will help you stay on track and prevent you from giving up when the finish line seems too far away. You can also break your short-term goals into smaller chunks to make them more achievable.
Take academic goals, for example. Suppose you want to work as a high school teacher.
In the long term, you will need to earn a bachelor’s degree in education and perhaps take a teaching certification course. But in the short term, you may want to focus on achieving high grades and working toward your mid-term goal of being accepted into a teaching program.
Goals in sports are comparable. If you want to be a good swimmer, break everything down into smaller parts.
First of all, work hard to improve your times and improve your freestyle, butterfly, and other strokes. Try to qualify for local or regional swimming competitions. As your skills develop, aim for state and maybe even national competitions.
Make plans for each stage, for each smaller aspect of your overall strategy. Remember the bigger picture and how each element fits into the whole.
8. Keep track of your progress and be prepared to make changes if necessary.
From time to time, take a step back to evaluate your goals and your progress toward them. This will help you stay focused. You may also find that you need to change or even reconsider your long-term goals.
Things will not always go according to plan. Keep your options open.
For example, as a swimmer, just because you failed to finish the state competition doesn’t mean you failed. Perhaps it will lead to new opportunities as a swim teacher, or it could mean the end of a chapter in your life.
Alternatively, you can change your exercise and nutrition and try again. People peak at different times in their lives, so maybe next time will be yours.
Staying flexible means being open to new experiences and skills. Suppose you need to pass anatomy to get into a pre-medical program.
You’ve never had any experience with anatomy before! Instead of getting disappointed and giving up, take the chance to take on a new task.
You may have to make some minor adjustments to your long-term strategy. During your undergraduate studies, you may discover that your true calling is pedagogical research rather than teaching.
Instead of becoming a high school teacher, you might pursue a master’s degree.
9. Be proud of your achievements.
Splitting tasks and evaluating progress are very important. But equally important is recognizing and appreciating your accomplishments.
Allow yourself to enjoy your victories, no matter how small they may be. Celebrating will give you encouragement and give you something to look forward to.
When you achieve a goal, reward yourself. Consider taking a day off, going to the movies, or opening a bottle of champagne with loved ones to celebrate the occasion.
Even modest signs of appreciation can help you feel more fulfilled, confident and focused.
10. Be prepared for setbacks.
There will undoubtedly be obstacles in your path, and you should be prepared for them. Instead of getting discouraged, use setbacks to your advantage. Learn from your mistakes, make adjustments, and move forward.
Analyze the situation. Suppose you didn’t complete a project for a client as scheduled. Was it due to poor planning, preparation, or execution, or circumstances beyond your control? Identify what went wrong and why, then make the required changes.
You can also help yourself stay on track by developing a plan in advance for what will happen if failure happens to you.
SEE ALSO: How To Communicate Effectively With Others: 17-Step Guide
11. Maintain a large network of support.
It’s much easier to work hard when you have people rooting for you. Develop relationships with people you trust, who have your best interests at heart, and who will be there for you through the ups and downs, whether it’s family, friends, or close mentors.
A small group of close friends can be more beneficial than a large group of casual acquaintances.
Spend time with friends and family; call, talk, and keep them in your life. Knowing that they are there for you will be comforting.
Try to reach out to them. When you need help, seek it from loved ones by talking to them or asking for guidance.
You can also look to support groups to find people with similar experiences and backgrounds. They have “been there” before.
12. Keep your worries to a minimum.
There is an important difference between carrying and worrying (2). Carrying is putting your heart and soul into anything, such as a goal. Worry, on the other hand, is defined as “an effort to influence the future through thought.” One is inspiring. The other is unattainable.
Focus on what you have control over. We are often confronted with unexpected situations, so remember that you are only human and cannot control everything.
Encourage yourself from time to time. Anxiety is similar to any other emotion. “I’m anxious,” you may say to yourself, “but I’m doing things to deal with it.”
Keep everything in context. Remind yourself of the limits of your anxiety to avoid “catastrophic thinking.”
For example, losing one fight is uncomfortable, but it’s not the end of your athletic career. It’s sad to come in last place in the rankings, but it’s not the end of the world. You still have your life, your health, and the people you care about.
13. Work at your own pace and take breaks.
When it comes to accomplishing your goals and objectives, know when to give up; otherwise, you risk burnout, which includes physical and mental fatigue, despair, and cynicism. If you are stressed, find strategies to rest, relax, and recharge your batteries.
You are the best judge of your mind and body, and you know when it’s time to slow down. Make sure both your mind and body are well rested. Your efforts will be less successful if you are not.
It’s OK to take a break, go on vacation, meditate, go to the pool, or mentally relax for a weekend doing absolutely nothing.
Avoid the “all or nothing” mentality.
14. Maintain a healthy way of life.
Exercise and a nutritious diet will not only keep you in shape, but will also benefit your mental health. Make sure you maintain a healthy lifestyle because you will be less stressed and better able to succeed and concentrate if you do.
Physical activity produces endorphins, increases blood flow to the brain, gives you energy, and generally improves your mood. Try to get thirty minutes of moderate activity five times a week.
Make sure you are eating well. To control blood sugar and vitality, eat frequently throughout the day, especially at breakfast, and include a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and healthy grains in your meals.
15. Recognize when you need help.
Almost everyone has experienced feelings of hopelessness or helplessness at some point in their lives. You are not alone and should be aware that there are resources and people who can help you.
Talk to a therapist if you have been feeling depressed for a long time or if low energy and sadness are interfering with your life.
Thank you for reading this article about how to not give up on yourself and I really hope that you take action my advice.
I wish you good luck and I hope its contents have been a good help to you.
