Why you can't give up

(found here)

Recently, I read this post and this post.
And it got me thinking (yeah, I know you're thinking "uh oh" right now, but bear with me)...

When you want to give up, and you think it's just you yourself that you're giving up on... well, it's not that simple, really.

Remember when you first decided to pursue writing (or any profession, really) professionally? How you made that declaration of faith and told your friends, anyone who would listen? Remember as they cheered you on endlessly and helped you work your hardest? Remember when you left them behind in the dirt because you were so busy working, and they didn't complain, but rather shower you with more support? Remember when they risked your emotional balance by pointing out what needed to be fixed and pushed you in the right direction, firmly but gently?

Remember all of that?

Without our friends, our family--I have to disagree with the amazing Hannah Moskowitz here (gasp, I know): an agent is not your first advocate. Your friends and family are--where would we be?

And so, of course, when you decide to give up... well, you're throwing away all that your friends did for you, all those sacrifices you and they made so you can pursue your dream will be buried in dust. It's not just you that's being let down. It's your whole support group. It's the very people who stuck with you through everything.

And then, of course, there are your rivals.

You know your nemesis? The one person who seems to be right next to you on everything, forcing you to become better so you can beat them? They are the ones driving your ambition and your need to succeed. If you give up, you are handing over that win. You are showing them that no, you really can't do it, and they are much better suited for it, so you will let them win without trying your hardest.

Is that how you want to come across as?

I hope not. Remember: it's okay to give up sometimes... when you have tried your hardest and know that it's not your dream. But if it is your dream, and you didn't try your hardest, I will not pity you when you give up and drown in despair. I will not comfort you and tell you "it's okay, it was too hard anyway." Because there is nothing that is too hard. Nothing. There are only so many ways we can see the solutions to problems by ourselves, and that is why we have friends, families, support, love, rivals, nemesis, ambition to carry us on. Resilience. For if you don't have the money to buy paint and paint your walls, you can fill your walls with drawings. You can fill it with stickers, candy wrappers, a collage of things that will be solely your own and no one else can copy. You can only establish yourself through your own creativity.

Don't give up. You won't be just giving up on yourself, but those who stuck by you and those who pushed you forward, too.