Breaking Through Fear: How to Stop Quitting (For Real This Time)

Ever had a brilliant idea, got super excited, dove in headfirst, and then... crickets? Maybe you wanted to launch your speaking career, write a book, or build your business empire—but somewhere along the way, poof, all that motivation vanished. You didn’t forget about it. You didn’t stop caring. But for some reason, you just… quit.

Sound familiar? Yeah, me too. I used to think this was just a me problem. Like maybe I wasn’t disciplined enough, or maybe I just wasn’t meant to succeed. Turns out, this is everyone’s problem at some point. And it’s not about laziness or a lack of ability.

It’s about fear.

Why Do We Quit? (Hint: It’s Not Because You’re Lazy)

People don’t quit because they’re lazy. Most of us actually work really hard—just not always on the thing we say we want. We get distracted, overwhelmed, or caught in some weird fear spiral that convinces us we should stop. Here’s what’s really going on:

1️⃣ Fear of Failure: “What if I completely bomb?”

This is the big one. We quit because we don’t want to embarrass ourselves. We tell ourselves, If I don’t try, I can’t fail. (Classic self-sabotage move.) But here’s the real kicker: by quitting, you’re already failing—just in slow motion.

2️⃣ Fear of Success: “What if I actually pull this off?”

This one’s sneaky. You’d think everyone wants success, right? But success comes with pressure. If you succeed, you have to keep showing up, keep delivering, keep proving yourself. And that can feel like a lot. So sometimes, we quit before we even have the chance to succeed, just to avoid that pressure.

3️⃣ Overwhelm: “This is too big, and I don’t even know where to start.”

Ever looked at a goal so massive that your brain just short-circuits? Instead of tackling it, you suddenly feel the urgent need to reorganize your sock drawer, scroll Instagram, or binge-watch an entire season of a show you don’t even like. Your brain isn’t broken—it’s just trying to protect you from the threat of doing something difficult.

How to Break the Quitting Cycle (So You Actually Finish What You Start)

Good news: quitting isn’t inevitable. You just need a few tools to outsmart your brain when it starts whispering, Let’s just quit. This is getting uncomfortable.

1. Reframe Failure as Feedback

Failure feels like a dead-end, but it’s actually just data. Instead of seeing setbacks as proof that you’re not good enough, start seeing them as valuable feedback. Didn’t land that speaking gig? Great—what can you tweak? Audience didn’t respond the way you expected? Cool—now you know what to improve. Every “failure” is actually an instruction manual for success.

2. Set Micro-Goals (Tiny Wins Add Up)

Your brain LOVES small wins. Instead of obsessing over the huge, overwhelming end goal (I must be a world-famous speaker by next year!), set bite-sized micro-goals. Like:

• “I’ll reach out to one event planner today.”

• “I’ll practice my signature story for five minutes.”

• “I’ll write one page of my book.”

Small, consistent actions are what actually get you to the big finish line.

3. Anticipate the ‘Quit Point’

Spoiler alert: you are going to want to quit. At some point, the excitement will wear off, things will feel hard, and you’ll start convincing yourself that maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. This is called the ‘Quit Point,’ and it happens to everyone. The trick? Expect it. When it shows up, instead of quitting, recognize it as a sign that you’re actually on the verge of a breakthrough.

4. Get an Accountability System

Your brain is great at talking you out of things. That’s why you need external support—someone who won’t let you quit just because your motivation took a nap. Find a mentor, coach, or mastermind group that holds you to your commitments, reminds you why you started, and calls you out when you start making excuses. (Trust me, this one is a game-changer.)

Final Thought: The Only Way to Fail Is to Quit

You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to get it right the first time. But you do have to keep going. The people who succeed aren’t necessarily the smartest, the most talented, or the best connected. They’re the ones who don’t quit.

So if you’ve been on the verge of giving up on something big, consider this your sign to keep going. The breakthrough you’re looking for is just past the place where you want to quit.

What’s something you’ve almost given up on but still want to make happen? Let me know in the comments—I’ll help you talk back to your inner quitter. 🚀