All of us will face difficulties and problems. Eventually, tough times will come; no one is immune to them. The important thing, however, is the way in which we react to problems when they do come. For some people, problems are temporary setbacks or difficulties which have an expiration date. As these types of people work through their problems and learn from them, their setbacks seem to make them stronger. As a result, they learn to persevere and overcome because they see each problem as an opportunity to seek a solution — they don’t become a victim of the problem.

On the other hand, some people see problems as devastating circumstances which have no solution. Consequently, they develop the habit of giving up. Regardless of the progress they have made, they revert to their old ways. For instance, they do well, something happens, and they revert. Eventually, they get over it, start to do well again, then some difficulty comes along and they give up — professing, “Oh, woe is me.” — just to repeat the cycle all over again. Looking back on their life, they realize they’ve gone nowhere and gained nothing.

Quitting is a bad habit, and the cycle of giving up in one’s life must be broken. If you’ve developed a habit of quitting, here are a few things you can do to break this cycle in your life:

1. Recognize this pattern in your life and what triggers giving up.
2. The next time a problem happens, force yourself to keep going forward. Don’t get angry and quit your job or begin to hang out with old friends who will drag you down.
3. Quit thinking and confessing, “Every time I start to do better this always happens.” This is a pit of destruction. Start believing in yourself and don’t give yourself an excuse to give up.

Start to change the way in which you see setbacks. As you overcome them, it will cause you to move forward in life — one step at a time, one moment at a time.

Just a Thought,

PSS