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How to Keep Going When You Want to Give Up · The Daily Writer

• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome everybody to the Born to Create Podcast.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: My name is Kent Sanders, and I'm your host.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: I'm an author, musician, and teacher, but most importantly, I'm a husband and a dad.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: Here on the show, we talk about practices, habits, and strategies that help us live out our creative calling.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: This is episode number thirty-eight, and today we're going to be talking about how to keep going when you want to give up.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: You can find the post that accompanies this episode at KentSanders.net slash how to keep going.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: Before we get into the content today, I want to invite you to send in your questions on creativity, productivity, art, or writing, and I'll answer those questions here on the podcast.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: You can send me the email at Kent at KentSanders.net, or you can shoot me a message on Facebook or Twitter at Kent Sanders.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: One of ASOP's best known fables is The Tortoise and the Hare.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: The hare challenges the tortoise to a race, confident he'll win by a long shot.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: The race begins and the hare gets so far ahead of the tortoise that he takes a nap.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: When the hare wakes up, he finds that the tortoise has kept moving and he won the race.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I think you and I can learn a lot from the tortoise.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: It may take a while to get where we're going, but if we persist, we'll eventually get there.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: There are times when you'll feel like giving up on your creative goals.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you're writing a book, making a movie, or recording music.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: It's really important to be persistent and to work through the problems that make it harder to reach the finish line.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: So on the show today, we're going to be talking about five common reasons why we give up and how to deal with each of those problems.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: So let's dive in.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: Number one is fatigue.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: Your physical fatigue affects your mind and your emotions.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: When you're physically depleted, you don't have the willpower and the correct frame of mind to push through the challenges.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: So what's the solution?
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: The solution is to take care of your body and make sure you're getting enough rest.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: After all, the average adult needs about eight hours of sleep every night.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: Personally, I take a nap almost every day, and I think many people would agree that a nap can help refresh you and get you going for the second half of the day.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: In addition, cut down your intake of junk food and fast food.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: If you need to lose a few pounds, get on an exercise program.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: You only have one body, so treat it well.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: So to be honest, I'm writing this for myself just as much as anyone else.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_00: Personally, I love soft drinks and they're really hard to give up, but I'm making some progress in that area, so I would just encourage you if this is a struggle for you as far as junk food, fast food, soda, and all that kind of stuff, just keep on the right track, keep making progress, and don't give up.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: Area number two is discouragement.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: You know, sometimes your problems seem to compound on each other and you just want to quit.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: It's much easier to run away from your problems than deal with them head on.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: Also, it's a lot more tempting to just veg out in front of the TV or bury your frustrations in a week of binge eating than it is to do the hard work that's required for success.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: So what's the solution?
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: The solution is to deal with your negative emotions in a healthy way.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: Go for a walk, write in your journal, or find some other positive solutions to your problems, because running away from your problems are only going to make them worse.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: Area number three is confusion.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_00: So let me ask you something.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: Have you ever lost your focus and didn't know which way to go?
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: If so, you're not alone.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: Everybody knows what it feels like to become paralyzed by the stress of life and to lose their direction.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: So what's the solution?
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: Reconnect with your purpose and your vision in life.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: Where do you want to be in one, two, or five years?
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: Think about your long-term goals and the steps it will take to reach those.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: Ralph Waldo Emerson, a famous American writer, said What lies behind you and what lies in front of you pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: When you get clarity on what lies inside of you, which is your purpose and your vision, the way forward becomes a lot more clear.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_00: Area number four is overwhelm.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: And this just simply means that there are times when you've committed to too many responsibilities and you feel completely overwhelmed by them.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: What's the solution?
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: The solution is to prioritize your responsibilities.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: You can't do everything.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: For example, a few years ago I created my first podcast called The Artist's Suitcase, and I kept that show going for almost a year.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: It was a weekly show and it took several hours every week to produce.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: However, I decided to end it after a few dozen episodes because it really wasn't helping me reach my creative goals at the time.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: You know, there are times when you just gotta look at what you're doing and decide to quit it because it's not helping you reach your goals.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes you have to cut your losses so you can focus on the more important things in life.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: Also, sometimes we're overcommitted because we're afraid to disappoint other people who request our time or who have certain expectations of us.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_00: The bottom line is you've got to become comfortable with saying no when you can't fulfill a request or meet an obligation.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_00: If you can't control your time, somebody else will.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: Then finally, area number five is regret.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_00: If you're beating yourself up over mistakes that you've made, you're not going to be able to focus on the future.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: Regret can suck the life out of you and keep you from making forward progress.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: What's the solution?
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: Don't dwell on the past because you can't change the past.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: Learn from your mistakes and apply those lessons to the present and the future.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_00: Focus on the one thing you can change, which is yourself.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: Matthew Wiener, who is the creator of the hit TV series Mad Men, knows a thing or two about persistence.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_00: One time I read this in an interview that he gave in a magazine.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: He said, It took seven years from the time I wrote Mad Men until it finally got on the screen.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: I lived every day with that script as if it were going to happen tomorrow.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_00: That's the faith you have to have.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: Hollywood is tough, but I do believe that if you are truly talented, get your material out there, can put up with rejection, and don't set a time limit for yourself.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: Someone will notice you.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: Well, those are very wise words.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's really easy to get sidelined by problems on your creative journey, but you have to persist and keep on doing the work that you're called to do.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: There's too much at stake for you to throw in the towel now.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_00: Remember the lesson from the tortoise and the hare slow and steady wins the race.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: That's good advice for all of us, no matter where we are on the creative journey.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_00: So, how do you keep going when you feel like giving up?
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: I'd love to hear your thoughts.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: You can join the conversation and find the post and the links that accompany this episode at KentSanders.net slash how to keep going.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: When you visit my site, you'll find all kinds of great resources to inspire your creativity.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_00: I'd also love to share a gift with you when you subscribe to my newsletter.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: You can check it out and learn more about my books, writing, and services at KentSanders.net.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_00: I'd love to connect with you and you can send me a tweet at Kent Sanders, or you can find me on Facebook and Instagram as simply Kent Sanders.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: I hope that you'll also check out our Born to Create Facebook group by visiting KentSanders.net slash Facebook Group.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, remember that you were born to create and designs to make a difference.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_00: What will you do with the time you have left?