Don't give up too soon

There was a time when I looked at people who reached their dreams and felt amazed. I thought they had something special, something I did not have.

Back then, many goals felt impossible for me.

When I tried to follow my dreams and things got hard, I would stop. I did not keep going. I would blame other people, the situation, or my tools—everything except myself. I was quick to run away instead of facing problems.

As the years went by, I realised I had not really built my own life. I had a job, but I was just average. I enjoyed drawing and writing, but I blamed my family or genes for not being talented enough.

Here is what I wish I knew earlier:

The most important thing is not the first burst of excitement. It is the habit of coming back and trying again, even after it stops feeling exciting. Success is not about talent, luck, or perfect conditions. It is about doing a little bit, every day—being consistent.

Because behind every extraordinary story are countless ordinary days.

I am reminded of this every time I look back at the journey of this blog. It has been 3 years since I started posting consistently in 2022.

Every week, it seems like I am always writing just one blog post at a time. But when I look at the bigger picture, I just realised that I've been consistently writing every week for the past 3 years, and this is newsletter number 99.

One post after another may feel small, but together they build something meaningful.

Small actions, repeated often, make you stronger. A great musician, writer, or athlete becomes great because they keep showing up again and again. Not just when things are easy or fun, but also when they are boring or make mistakes.

Consistency does not attract much attention. Nobody cheers for another typical day of practice or a bad drawing. But significant change happens in those moments.

Now, when I want to quit, I try to stay just a bit longer. When I make excuses, I ask myself: What small thing can I do today? If I draw badly, I draw again tomorrow. If I struggle at work, I try to learn from it instead of giving up.

I am still learning. But I feel stronger and more hopeful each day I try again.

If you are waiting for perfect conditions or for talent to show up, try this: Stay with your work a bit longer. Do something small, even if it feels boring. Small progress is still progress.

Because behind every extraordinary story are countless ordinary days.

So let your small, steady steps shape a story you’ll be proud of.

Don't give up too soon.

I hope you find this insightful. Remember:

It's not going to be easy,
But it's not impossible.

Your friend,
Brian.