Giving up on small things is okay. If I don't like a book, I'm not going to force myself to read it. Why waste your time on bad books, right? Not finishing a painting or sewing a pillow or small project is fine, too.
But how do you not quit the big things?
MAKE IT IMPORTANT TO YOU!
There have been many times (more than I like to admit) where I thought I should quit grad school, but deep down it's important for me to finish. Personally, if I gave up halfway through I would regret it forever. I don't like leaving things unfinished. Not only that, but I want it on my resume and I like learning and I think it would look bad if I started but didn't get the degree.
That's why it's important to me.
You have to figure out how to make your thing (be it saving up for a house, opening a business, working on a group project at work, writing a novel, fixing your car, teaching yourself a language, etc. ) important to you.
Here are some tips:
Figure out WHY it's important to you!
Do you want to learn a new language because your boyfriend's family speaks it? Have you always wanted to open your own cafe? Do you want to study to be a lawyer because you want to help people or because you've always loved the law?
Get to the heart of why you shouldn't quit in the long run. Ask yourself the hard question: Why do you want to do this?
Figure out if it's going to affect your FUTURE!
Will getting this job help you pay off those credit card bills or student loans? Will opening your own business give you future connections and better job opportunities? Will finishing that project on time get you on the teacher's good side so that you can get a college recommendation?
Even if it hurts you at first (financially like opening a restaurant, or emotionally like leaving someone), will it help you later on?
Figure out if it's going to affect OTHERS!
If you don't do your share of that group project will you be harming others? Do you want to save money for your children's college eduation to help them?
Will your thing help or hurt your family or friends? Will it change the way they see you?
Figure out HOW you will make it important to you!
Maybe you'll practice guitar every Tuesday and Thursday for two hours. Maybe you'll study French everyday to get good grades in that class. Maybe you'll stop drinking Starbucks coffee to pinch pennies so that you can open your own bookstore.
What are you willing to do or sacrifice in order to get your goal accomplished?
Once you figure out why and how your goal is important to you, and you ask yourself these questions, you'll be one step closer to not being a quitter. And you'll be one step closer to finishing your goals!
Good luck out there!
what a great post! this is inspiring me to try learning Greek again! I got through one rosetta stone and I have to go back to school and I didnt have the time to learn Greek and do all my classwork. But it was so important to me to learn it and I think I might try it again :)
ReplyDeleteI really hope you go back to learning Greek! That would be great! One day you will be fluent!
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