If not giving up was always the right answer life would be so easy. History shows us that sometimes quitters prosper and sometimes they miss out. Knowing when to quit and when to keep going is one of the most difficult questions and so we asked folks we admire to tell us how they think through this question.

Jonathan Armour | Film Director

The entertainment industry can be glorious, frustrating, exciting, scary, but often more than none it can be so rewarding! I ask myself this question often, and that is “Jon is all worth it? Everything we’re doing, the time we sacrifice, the dedication to making films, is it all worth it?” The answer will always be yes. I’ve found my not only my passion in life but my purpose also. These two go hand in hand, and thus when questioned o the thought of giving up or to keep going. I can whole heartily say I’ll never give up because I love it so much. Yes there will be films that I create that won’t register for everyone, but there will be ones that inspire many. I know that i’m going to hear a hundred “No’s” before I hear that “Yes” that’s life changing. However you won’t see any of that if you give up. In anything you do to become better, your’re going to fail at first. That’s apart of the journey of becoming great! With each failure come a new level of knowledge that wasn’t there before. Never giving up with each failure only leads to you getting closer to success. Read more>>

Deidre Gaskin, MBA | Sports Publicist and Entrepreneur

To be honest, at times I don’t. But my firm, MayLee Media, is faith based so I lean on God to show me. Truthfully speaking, if my firm was named after me, I would have gave up a long time ago but it’s not. My PR firm is named after my grandmother and I want to honor her and leave a legacy and that’s far more bigger than me. Read more>>

Joey Thompson | Writer, Director & Filmmaker

There’s a common encouragement we like to pass around that, in all things, “never give up.” Oftentimes in our culture, “giving up” can be construed as a sign of weakness or inability. Somehow the misconception that our value and our worth is tied to our accomplishments has pushed people to believe that if they throw in the towel on ANY task, large or small, somehow they are inadequate. We feel like we will lose something and that fear pushes us to make poor decisions or rush projects, and even to the detriment of our own health. The reality is sometimes you need to push through and keep going, but there are other times when “giving up” is the BEST option you have; for your business, your family, and your own mental health. In my experience, it’s in those times of giving up when new, and even better, opportunities have been presented. So, how do you know when to keep going and when to give up? I remember when I started a passion project web video series called Atlanta Makers. I had high hopes for this project and a much larger vision for it Read more>>

Lea Brown | Recruitment Expert & Founder of LxR Consulting, LLC

The simple answer to this is to never give up. Trust me, there have been plenty of times where I asked myself what’s the point? I have a great 9-5 that provides me with the necessities to pay my bills and live comfortably. But what does financial freedom mean to you? For me, it means not having to ask for a raise or a promotion from my superior. It means living life on my own terms and on my own time. It means getting up and traveling the world whenever I see fit. That’s the goal, that is what I’m working towards, so I can’t give up. My business was started as a side hustle and I’m still navigating the idea of what it could be. All you need is potential and a whole lot of faith. Read more>>

NaTeneshia Renée | Artistic Photojournalist & Entrepreneurial Magazine Owner

I started my businesses, NaTeneshia Renée Photography and Design, rebranded from Capturing DREAMS by NaTeneshia, and my Entrepreneurial Magazine, Modestly Bold Magazine, from a childhood dream. Although I was in the 7th grade, I knew that I wanted to be a photographer and due to my opinionated nature, I wanted to be a writer of some sort. When I was growing up, I only knew of a few entrepreneurs but I never really thought about all that they went through to maintain their businesses because let’s just face it, I was a kid and my only focus was ME! But now that I’m older and thinking back, I know there had to be many times that they wanted to give up and throw in the towel when sales wasn’t what they needed them to be or investments into the business didn’t turn out to what they needed them to be to get ahead. I’m quite sure things were good too and it’s easy to think about things when they are good but the challenge is when things are stacked against you that the doubt creeps in on should I keep going or just give it all up! Now that I own businesses, I truly understand the struggle of that loaded question. Read more>>

Chaneya Joyner | Fashion & Lifestyle Blogger

I think this question is something I’ve actually thought about over the past year. Growth on Instagram is hard especially with how saturated the blogging/content creator world is now. Something that I have to remind myself is that I’m on my own journey and my own path. Everything will happen in its own time and how it’s supposed to happen. I need to stop comparing my life and my accomplishments to others who have a completely different life than me. I have to remind myself of why I started blogging in the first place and never lose sight of that. It’s super easy to get down and feel like you’re not growing but when I looked back over the year and at all the things I’ve gotten to do, it pushes me to keep going. In hindsight, if something isn’t bringing you joy and you ultimately hate what you’re doing and there’s no more passion behind it, then I think you should step away and try something else. I don’t like saying “give up,” it just sounds a little harsh. Read more>>

Harmony Madison | Publicist/Communications Professional

Starting and running a business, along with anything else, can get hard at times. Sometimes those roadblocks make giving up seem so appealing, and it is often times the easiest thing to do. When I am met with these feelings, I try to remind myself that the process isn’t always going to be easy and I can overcome any challenge I am met with. I have a stack of cards with inspirational quotes and the one that I keep close to me reads “don’t let the fear of what could happen stop anything from happening”. As long as I love what I am doing, I try not to get crippled by fear. The paradigm shifts when I stop loving what I’m doing; that’s a clear sign that it’s time to move on. Read more>>

Kelli Washington Head | Eventplanner/ Balloon Decor

I always outweigh my good witoh the bad. Everything worth it is going to have some kind of trials, but when you keep going it’s so rewarding. Giving up is the easiest thing to do, we all need a little challenge some times. Read more>>

Raquel M R Thomas | Author, Screenwriter, Business Coach, Professor & Business Owner

Giving up is simply never the answer. The race is never over if you still have life. You may struggle and experience lost along the way but there is always a chance for a comeback. Life has its bumps and bruises as does business but every bump and bruise there is a lesson to be learned. A lesson that is preparing you for your greater. So, giving up is never an option. The real focus must be what’s ahead. What are you driving toward and how will you get there? The key is waking up each day and doing the work knowing that it’s not going to be easy or given. Giving up is not an option. Read more>>