Why We Give Up and How to Go On and Keep Going in 2025

I’m sprawled on the couch, laptop balanced on my knees, staring at a blank Google Docs screen. The cursor blinks like it’s mocking me. For weeks, I’ve been trying to write something meaningful, but the words won’t come. The day job’s draining, the bank account’s dwindling, and honestly—I’m starting to wonder if it’s time to give up on this “follow your passion” dream.

Sound familiar? If you’ve ever poured your heart into something—writing, a side hustle, or a dream you’re chasing—only to feel like quitting, you’re not alone. Almost everyone hits that point. But why do we give up? And more importantly—how do we keep going?

Lately, I’ve been thinking about this a lot, living in a world where everything seems to cost more than my paycheck can cover. The truth is, we give up for two big reasons: we run out of resources, or we run out of will. Let’s break them down—and figure out how to push through.

Running Out of Gas: The Resource Trap

Picture this: you have a dream. Say, opening a coffee shop with pour-over brews and vinyl records spinning in the background. You scrape together enough cash for six months’ rent, deck out the place with thrifted wooden tables, and go all-in. Six months pass, and your only customers are your mom and your best friend. Money’s gone. Game over.

That’s what happens when you run out of resources. Not just money—but time, energy, connections, even emotional bandwidth. According to a 2023 U.S. Small Business Administration report, about 20% of new businesses fail within their first two years, often because they can’t sustain financial bleed. But it’s not just entrepreneurs. Writers, artists, freelancers—we all face the same grind. You burn through resources faster than you can replenish them, and suddenly, your dream feels like a luxury you can’t afford.

So, how do you avoid falling off that cliff? Two solutions: cut costs and boost efficiency.

Take my writing dream. My monthly expenses are $3,500—rent, food, basics. My writing income? Maybe $600 a month, tops. I’m bleeding out. Option one: slash expenses. Move somewhere cheaper, cut takeout, maybe get another roommate. If that’s not enough, option two kicks in: increase income. Pitch more articles, take on copywriting gigs, or build a paid newsletter that actually makes money. The goal’s simple—make sure what’s coming in outpaces what’s going out.

It’s not glamorous, but it’s survival. A 2022 Pew Research study found 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. This struggle isn’t just for dream-chasers—it’s reality. The key is stretching your resources far enough to give your dream a fighting chance.

The Willpower Marathon

Resources are only half the battle. The other half? Willpower. Building something meaningful—a novel, a business, a new career—takes time. Months, years, maybe decades. And life doesn’t exactly roll out the red carpet while you’re grinding. Friends are hitting the bar, you’re home editing your manuscript for the fifth time. Coworkers get raises, you’re still freelancing for pennies. Every rejection, late night, and missed opportunity chips away at your resolve.

Willpower isn’t infinite. A 2021 study in Frontiers in Psychology says self-control is like a muscle—it fatigues with overuse. If you’re juggling a main job, a side project, and the pressure to “make it,” that muscle tires fast. I’ve been there—staring at my laptop at midnight, wondering why I’m still trying. The answer isn’t just “grit.” It’s strategy.

Here’s what I’ve learned to keep willpower burning:

• Stop comparing yourself to others. Scrolling X or Instagram, it feels like everyone’s winning except you. But that person with 10,000 followers? They’ve been posting consistently for years. That friend with a book deal? They got rejected dozens of times. Focus on your own path.
• Go easy on yourself. Beating yourself up over a missed deadline or a mediocre draft won’t make you better—it just speeds up burnout. Aim for progress, not perfection.
• Set a rhythm. You don’t need to write 2,000 words a day or work 80-hour weeks. Small, consistent efforts compound. A 2020 Journal of Applied Psychology study found people who set realistic, incremental goals were 30% more likely to stick with it.
• Find your fuel. For me, it’s walking my dog in the park or binging sci-fi. Know what recharges you, and make space for it.
• Play the long game. Success doesn’t happen overnight. Remind yourself why you started—because what you’re building matters to you.

Why Keep Going?

I won’t sugarcoat it: chasing a dream in America today isn’t for the faint of heart. Rent’s up 18% since 2020, per 2024 Zillow data, and wages can’t keep up. It’s so easy to say, “Forget it, I’m done.”

But there’s another side. Every time I publish something—even if only a handful read it—I get a little sharper, a little more confident, a little closer to my goal. Even if no one’s watching, the act of creating is a quiet rebellion against a world telling you to give up.

The truth is, most people quit because they run out of resources, willpower, or both. But you don’t have to. Stretch your resources as far as they’ll go, guard your willpower like it’s the most expensive fuel, and keep showing up. It’s not glamorous, but it’s how you build something real. And one day, you’ll look back and realize: it was worth it.

So, to you—sitting there, wondering if you should keep going: you can. Don’t give up.

What’s one thing you’re working on but tempted to quit? Drop it in the comments, and let’s talk about how to keep pushing forward together.