How to Push Through When You Want to Give Up

Giving up. A really tough feeling to have to endure. We’ve all been there too. Some moments can feel impossible to push through, whether you’re in the middle of a set lifting your heaviest weights, running a marathon, or everyday life scenarios, like getting into an argument with a loved one or maybe you’re just having a tough go at the moment.

But we want you to know that you can and will get through whatever you’re facing, and you’ll end up on top. Here are some of our best tips for pushing through those tough moments so that you don’t give up; you win. 

1. The cookie jar method.

This method was coined by David Goggins, ultra-marathon runner, retired Navy SEAL, ultra-distance cyclist, and former US Air Force Tactical Air Control Party. While Goggins was running his first ultra-marathon, which he hadn’t trained for, he reached ¾ of the way through the race and felt like giving up. At that moment, he began remembering all of his past achievements, accomplishments and struggles that he faced. These are the cookies. They serve as energy to put fuel back into your tank to keep going, whether it’s a physical or emotional dilemma you’re facing. 

As he began remembering and ultimately reliving how it felt to achieve his accomplishments, he regained enough strength to keep pressing on and finished the race. Though his body at first told him that his fuel tank was empty, by remembering all that he’s done in the past, his mind regained control of the situation and found extra strength to keep going. 

Goggins is most noted for his 40% Rule: when your mind says it can’t go on, you’re only 40% done. There’s still just a bit more. 

You can have your own cookie jar too. Start by remembering everything and anything that helped to shape you into the person that you are today, good and bad. From both, you find strength. When you’re in a moment of struggle, start to recall everything you’ve accomplished faced, and overcome, whether related to the issue or matter at hand or not. 

Soon, that moment will become part of your cookie jar as well. 

2. Every moment passes.

Nothing is permanent. Ever. Even pain and even joy. So whatever moment you’re in, it’s fleeting. This is good and bad, as we never want the good moments to end, but we’re ready to rush through the bad ones. But this truth can help us gain more gratitude for the more joyful moments in our lives and aid us to push through the harder ones. 

No matter what anyone goes through, it will come to an end, even if it feels like it will be an eternity. Remember that you’ve made it through 100% of your toughest days. Whatever you’re facing is no different. Just knowing that fact in itself can help alleviate some of the struggles so that you can think more clearly to problem solve, even if it just means continuing to move through an exercise or trusting that a bad season in life will bring you an even brighter future.

3. Remember what you’re thankful for. 

This can be difficult when you’re in the thick of a moment and are really feeling despair. It can feel silly to express gratitude when all you’re feeling is anger or pain or anxiety. But when you feel true gratitude, at that moment your energy shifts and you get a notch stronger, and then another notch, and another. And what you’re grateful for can be something completely unrelated to what you’re doing in the moment of struggle, whether it’s a workout or an argument or just a bad day. 

A good thing to think of is a pet, like a cat or a dog, and feeling gratitude towards them. Pets are often the easiest when you’re just starting out in your gratitude practice, as we usually just feel extreme love towards them, whereas sometimes mixed emotions can get in the way when feeling gratitude for people in our lives. Once you feel that little jolt of gratitude, you then feel some strength to express gratitude towards your loved ones, and simpler things like clean water, a warm bed, food in the fridge and cupboard, electricity, etc. 

When the gratitude starts to build, you’ll begin to feel more strength to overcome whatever you’re feeling, as now your mind is back in the driver’s seat and can help the body push through the challenge. 

4. Know that you’re not alone.

There is strength in numbers, and a big key to pushing through is remembering that others are facing the same struggles that you are. Whatever you’re going through, whether it’s pushing through a tough workout or you’re having a rough time in life, how you feel can be pretty isolating. What you feel seems only specific to you and your life, and that can make you feel pretty defeated really fast. 

The great thing is that no matter how alone you feel, you’re never alone. Everyone faces struggles like these; they may just present themselves in different scenarios, but what you’re feeling is not unique to you. We are all human and experience a range of emotions that encompass grief, sadness, anger, anxiety, fear, joy, happiness, excitement, etc. So with that knowledge, it’s easier to focus on pushing through a moment. 

It doesn’t feel like everything is against you anymore. You at least have one person you can say is on your side, and that can be enough momentum to get you through this rough patch.

5. Focus on the future.

The last tactic to help you push through a difficult moment is envisioning what it will feel like to be able to coach or help someone else through this same moment. Once you’re through with this struggle, you get to say that you’ve conquered it. How awesome does that feel?

Now, how awesome would it feel to be able to show others that if you can do it, they can too? Remember how hard it felt at that moment? You continued to push through, despite all odds and you made it through. That’s a fantastic example that can help someone else get through exactly what you dealt with. When we are challenged to help ourselves, it’s often more helpful to switch gears and focus on what we can do for others. If you’re struggling to find motivation for yourself, remember how amazing it will be to show someone else that they can get through it just like you did. It’s a pretty empowering feeling.