You know the feeling. You’re super excited about this new adventure that you’re embarking on, whether it be a business, a fitness journey, or a new habit. Once you start on this new journey, you’ll start feeling discouraged and start feeling some of that imposter syndrome that plagues us all.

You begin to feel like you’re never going to make it and you think about giving up. When you start feeling like you want to give up, how do you address it? There are several things you can do, but when you feel like giving up, remember your “why”.

Why are you feeling this way?

Whenever you start a new journey, there’s always gonna be some self-doubt, whether that’s the imposter syndrome you’re feeling or outside push back from friends and family. You may think to yourself, “Why am I good enough to be doing this?” or, “Why would anyone want to learn from me?”  We all experience it, and there are three stages to look out for and work through: resistance, acceptance, and expectance. 

Stage 1: Resistance

We all start here, as I mentioned previously. It’s that uncomfortable, stomach-in-a-knot feeling you have when you start something new. You may feel inner resistance from yourself because of not knowing the outcome or even judgment from your friends and family who may not understand why you are trying to break into a new venture. This is the hardest phase to break out of, but it is the most critical for your journey.

So how can you break out of phase 1 and get into the next phase? 

When you feel like giving up, remember why you started this journey to begin with. There was something pulling you in to take the leap. Ask yourself: Why am I doing this? Why do I want this? Why is this important to me? Deep down, you know that you want it, but fear is usually holding you back.

I dealt with the resistance phase for a very long time. It felt like I was constantly being punched in the stomach for years before I got past the resistance period.

When I was newer to the blogging world, I did a live stream takeover for an account with 1 million followers. I made a mistake at the very beginning because I was nervous, and was trolled for 15 minutes straight. I called Jacob crying and told him I wanted to quit. I thought to myself, “If this is what happens when you get 1 million followers, I want nothing to do with it.” He said, “Fine, if you don’t want that, then quit” – but I knew how badly I wanted it and that quitting wasn’t an option.

This stage is kind of like going on a hike in the mountains. You may have an inherent fear that a mountain lion is lurking around every corner, ready to pounce. Know that the mountain lion is fear, and in order to reach the best viewpoint, you need to push past that fear and realize that the mountain lion is in your head.

Stage 2: Acceptance

This is when things start to feel more comfortable. It’s when that fear stops lurking and you begin to build the daily habits or roots of your business. It’s when your habits start to be incorporated into your daily life and your doubts start to subside a bit. Your friends and family have started to see that this is something that you’re going to continue doing and stop pushing back so much.

It’s definitely “over the hump” as some may say, but you’re still in the growth phase. It’s easy to last in this phase for a long time, and you may face some challenges still. I know I dealt with my own struggles in this phase. 

Stage 3: Expectance

This is when your fear starts to subside, and your new venture has become routine. Friends and family expect you to be doing this. You have it set in your daily routine. The mountain lion seems more like a little house cat now, if it even exists. 

This is when you become top of mind for the thing you want to be known for. This is when you make sales, make progress, and see results. This is when you become the “expert” in your niche. People look to you for results, and that fear of failure is a distant memory.

What to Do When You Feel Ready to Quit

Try and recognize which phase you’re in. If you’re having those fears, more than likely, you’re in the resistance phase. Work through those struggles, and constantly refer back to your why. Even when you get kicked down – and you will – the most important thing is to lift yourself back up and push forward. That is how you see success and growth and how you can achieve your goals.

If you want to learn more about reframing your mindset, check out My 10 Favorite Books on Personal Growth. Need a little more structure working through these phases while working from home? Read up on How to Be More Productive Working from Home!

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