6 Reasons Why People Give Up on Their Dreams

6 Reasons Why People Give Up on Their Dreams

Pursuing a dream takes guts.

Sure, it sounds easy on paper.

But when it comes time to actively pursue your dream, any number of things can thwart your plans and before you know it, you’ve given up before you’ve even started.

Let’s talk six reasons why people give up on their dreams.

6 Reasons Why People Give Up on Their Dreams

Someone told you “no.”

“No is only an answer if you accept it.” ~Rachel Hollis

You’re going to be told “no” at least once over the duration of your life, if not several times.

This is simply a fact of life.

But you can’t let that stop you from continuing to pursue your goals.

When I was a kid, I’d ask my mom for something and she’d tell me “no,” so I would go ask my dad. Or I would come up with some reason to try to convince my mom as to why she should say “yes.”

While I don’t think you should consider pestering the person who shut you down, the point here is, I do think you should pursue other opportunities to get that “yes.”

Many people look at having their idea/proposal/etc turned down as a failure, so they conclude it just wasn’t meant to be.

But how many musicians have you heard of who weren’t signed by the first, second, or even tenth record label they pursued when they were trying to land a recording contract?

How many authors had their New York Times best-selling novels turned down by publishers before one finally accepted them?

Getting told “no” isn’t a death sentence to your dream; It’s just a detour sending you into another direction to achieve it.

One person’s “no” is another person’s “yes.”

Related:

Someone in a position of authority told you it’s not possible.

So, you want to start a business, run a marathon, lose weight, take a mission trip, or achieve some other awesome goal…but an important figure in your life is less than supportive.

You’re considering their advice and thinking maybe you’re just not cut out for this dream of yours.

They don’t believe in you or think what you want to achieve is possible, so they advise you to not even bother trying.

But the truth is, nobody gets to tell you how big your dreams can be.

Nobody has authority to determine what you are capable of doing.

Whether it’s a parent, spouse, boss, friend, or even an expert in your field.

Other people are offering you advice based on their own limiting beliefs and perceptions.

Ultimately, your dream coming to fruition is about you making it happen, not other people.

Other people don’t care about your dream the way you do.

Your goals and dreams are just that: yours.

Related:

You want results sooner than you’re going to get them.

Nothing worth achieving happens quickly.

I am an extremely impatient person.

Always have been.

There are so many things I dabbled in in the past and when it seemed too time-consuming or too hard, I quit.

Truth be told, I probably didn’t want those things bad enough anyways.

When I decided to pursue blogging, I learned through research that many people jump ship on their blog early, or worse, don’t even get started, because it can take a while to see results.

Getting traffic, email subscribers, affiliate sales etc takes dedication, persistence and intentional thinking and planning.

It also just takes time.

And since most people expect everything to happen overnight, they give up.

If you truly want what you’re pursuing, you have to put the work in before you’ll see the results.

One workout isn’t going to make you drop 10 pounds.

But a consistent schedule of working out, coupled with mindful eating, will.

You have to be in it for the long haul if you want to achieve your goals.

Related:

You break promises to yourself.

To do something extraordinary, you must do things you’ve never done.

You have to intentionally plan when you’re going to work on your goal.

Then, you have to follow through with that plan.

I can’t tell you what that plan of action is, because it’s different for everyone.

But why is it that we’d never think of breaking a promise or commitment to other people, but we’re so quick to bail on ourselves?

Stop bailing on yourself.

That might mean eliminating something from your schedule so you have more time or it might mean becoming more disciplined.

Don’t bail on your workout, your one hour a day to work on a project, to get your house clean and organized.

Show up for yourself and do what you intend to do.

Related:

You don’t believe in yourself.

Before you begin, you have to know that you can do anything you set your mind to.

You have to know you are 100% capable of accomplishing what you set out to do, or it’s never going to happen.

If there’s something you want to do and you feel like you’re not cut out for it, I suggest you work on your heart before you begin work on your goals.

You. Are. Capable.

If you haven’t already, get started with personal development books and listen to podcasts. Engage in resources that will help you re-frame your way of thinking.

Your environment is equally important, too. Surround yourself with like-minded peers and keep toxic and low-energy people at arm’s length.

Related:

You just don’t want it badly enough.

“The wealthiest place on the planet is the graveyard, because in the graveyard we will find inventions that we were never ever exposed to, ideas, dreams that never became a reality, hopes and aspirations that were never acted upon.” ~Les Brown

It comes down to this:

If you want something bad enough, you’ll find a way to make it happen and if you don’t, you won’t.

When you’re thinking about quitting, remember this:

How would you feel if you came to the end of your life not doing that one thing you wished you’d done?

Would you regret taking the ill-informed advice of a family member?

Wish you could turn back time and not given up on yourself?

How much better would your life have been had you achieved that goal?

Then, do it!

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Lisa

Hi! I'm Lisa. I help women live purposeful, fulfilling and joyful lives. I'm happily married and a fur mom to two boxers and two rabbits. I love Jesus, freelance writing, fitness, personal development, reading books, football, cross-stitching, and video games.