Why Most People Quit (and how not to)

Inspiration is in the air

It's that time of year again.

The time between Christmas and New Years.

When we start looking forward to the goals we want to set and the things we want to accomplish in the coming year.
During this time of year it's not hard to be inspired.

We've (hopefully) had some time to rest and recharge, eat a bunch of tasty treats, and spend time with the people we care about. And right now, everyone around us has the same mindset.

Let's get better this year.

I kind of like to think that this time of year is like when you're super motivated to start your new diet, because you've just finished stuffing yourself with your favorite meal.

For me, It's never easier to think it's finally time to commit to getting ripped than after I'm full up to my eyeballs with sushi and chocolate chip cookies. (which sounds oddly disgusting next to each other)

Just like how right now it's not hard to fantasize about my future sitting in literal paradise as I write this in Puerto Rico.

And the same way it's easier to start the diet just after our favorite meal, right now it's as easy as it will ever be to set lofty goals and daydream about the future.

It's in the air.

The Reality of The Work

Here's the thing:

It's easy to imagine achieving a goal from this perspective, because we get to dream about the future without being realistic about what the work itself is going to feel like.

I say "feel like" and not "be like" here because thats what matters.

We all know in theory what the work toward our goal is going to "be" like

We just have to make sure to get to the gym everyday

Or we just have to meal prep every weekend

Or just have to count our calories.

Or just post x amount of times a week.

And these things are easy to imagine and prepare for mentally because they're just facts.

They're the Logistics of what trying to reach our goals will look like, but that isn't what matters.

What does matter and the thing that I'm trying to spend some time preparing for is how that work is going to Feel.

The feeling of waking up at 5 am to get an early start to make time for everything. (It feels like shit)

The feeling of trying to pursue Youtube this year knowing that for the foreseeable future those videos will require a ton of effort but have little to no audience. (It will feel like shit)

The feeling I have now of setting the goal to make a million dollars this year from my social media business (with things like my 1:1 consults that's price will double in january) and the overwhelm that comes from what it will take to achieve it. (It feels impossible and that feels like shit)

The feeling of wanting to quit. (you guessed it)

I have to prepare for those feelings because I know they're coming.

Because no matter the goal they always do.

Change is hard.

And in order to truly change, we have to find our why.

Finding Your Why

We have to ask ourselves what the deeper personal reasons for the goals we are setting for ourselves are.

That way when things do start to feel like shit, we can find it in us to do them anyway.

I want to pursue Youtube because I want to be able make a living creating freely without limitation, to connect with other people through my work, and ultimately create change for other people.

I want to make a million dollars because I know what it feels like to get hit with a life changing medical diagnosis and have to spend every penny I have.

I know what it feels like to live on other people's terms and work yourself to the bone because that's what it takes to pay the bills.

It feels like being trapped.

And as I write this I realize that that thing all of my goals have in common is that:

I want to be free.

Free to express myself how I want to.

Free from worry about the future and being blindsided financially.

Free from someone else assigning me my lifestyle.

And if you're reading this I have to think that you probably want something like that too.

So find your why.

Because this year when reality sets in, and your fun new routine becomes a chore, your why is the thing that's going to keep you pushing forward.

I say this all the time, but the thing that I remind myself of when I feel like phoning it in (which is often by the way) is:

No one's coming to save you.

It's up to you. And thats powerful.

And this year you better believe you're going to hit road blocks.

Moments when whatever goals you have feel impossible.

When your mind tries to convince you that "you didn't really care that much about that goal anyway" or that "you can just try again next week, or next month, or next year."

It's these times that your why will be what makes the difference.

And just remember:

Pushing forward when it's easy is, well, easy. But pushing forward when you want to quit is when it counts.

Mastering the 180 degree rule can help elevate your storytelling, especially on social media.

When most people begin, they tend to shoot from different angles randomly, without focusing on any sort of screen direction.

While it is social media and there really aren't any rules, observing the 180 line will give your videos a more professional narrative feel. This concept is a bit vague and difficult to explain in writing so check out this video I made here that dives deeper.

We are currently in Puerto Rico seeing Laura's family for the New Year, we had a great time seeing my parents in Arkansas and got to spend some quality time with them, but unfortunately I spent a lot of our time there sick with a cold of some sort. I'm feeling a bit better now but still not 100 percent.

Overall trying to be more intentional about being present and taking the time to recharge.

I hope everyone is getting some quality time with their loved ones, and looking ahead to an awesome new year.

And as always

I hope this helps.

Caleb