You’ve likely noticed that some people will keep on going, even when the odds against them seem impossible, while others throw in the towel at the slightest setback. Although there may be numerous reasons why a person may go in one of these directions rather than the other, those who keep going even when things feel impossible tend to share a number of the same traits.
These are usually viewpoints and habits that can help them to continue moving forward even when all the odds are stacked against them, or the path ahead seems obstructed. Here are 8 of the most common:
1. Instead of looking at the long road ahead, they only focus on the next step in front of them.
My partner introduced me to the Tao Te Ching, as well as many other books on Eastern philosophy. One of the quotes that struck me was: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” This approach to various endeavors has served me well over the years, as it has allowed me to remain present rather than be overwhelmed by the journey ahead.
When everything feels overwhelming, scary, or downright impossible, focusing on that one next step ahead is much easier than looking ahead at all the challenges and obstacles that need to be surmounted to reach the destination. It makes handling difficulties much more manageable, instilling greater confidence in your ability to handle the next step. And the one after that.
2. They approach setbacks with curiosity and courage.
Instead of being despondent when they experience a setback and conceding defeat, those who keep on going when everything feels impossible try to see setbacks with curiosity rather than despair.
Basically, when they come across a setback, they see it as an opportunity to learn and grow from it. If they can’t move through it, how can they get around it? Are there other paths nearby? Or a means to climb over or dig beneath it? There is always another route that can be taken, and they have the courage to find these alternate journeys — even if they seem unorthodox, or take a while to appear.
3. Service to others rather than themselves.
One of the key traits of those who keep on keeping on is to be of service to others rather than to themselves. It’s easy to give up and just lie on the couch, eating cake and crying if the only person affected by your feelings of defeat is yourself. But if you’ll be letting someone else down or allowing harm to come to them by giving up, then there’s far more incentive to get up and keep going.
These individuals use the time they have here to help others, to the best of their ability. As such, they pour their energy outwards rather than turning inwards and getting despondent. They may be hurting deeply on many levels, but their rescue animals need to be fed, the hospice patients they read to are looking forward to seeing them, and so on.
4. Patience and compassion towards themselves.
If one of your friends were going through as difficult a time as you are, you’d likely offer them far more compassion and grace than you would extend to yourself. This is because almost all of us are far harsher with ourselves than we are with others, and we hold ourselves to higher standards than anyone else around us.
Those who have the resilience to keep going in even the direst of circumstances often show themselves as much compassion and patience as they show towards their friends and family members. This is because they realize that they, too, deserve love and kindness, and beating themselves up isn’t a way to inspire initiative. Instead, they become their own cheerleaders and strive to do better tomorrow.
5. Sheer bloody-mindedness.
Quite simply, they’re too ornery to give up. They refuse to quit because that would mean conceding defeat, and that isn’t going to happen. Giving up simply isn’t an option to them as long as they’re still breathing, so they keep moving forward, even if it means crawling along until they get there.
While this trait may be interpreted as stubbornness by others, it can actually provide a person with a tremendous amount of energy to keep moving forward. Think of people like surfer Bethany Hamilton, who kept going with the sport even after a shark bit her left arm off, or journalists who keep reporting in war zones even after being severely injured or losing their family members in attacks.
6. They recognize that bad things are happening, but they won’t happen forever.
Every single thing a person experiences — good or bad — has a beginning and an end. This goes for everything from a truly magnificent meal to a root canal. Those who keep going when things feel impossible recognize that “it can’t rain all the time.” Even though things may be dire right now, they can’t stay this way forever.
Rather than allowing themselves to fall into the quagmire of self-pity, they move forward, headlong into that rainstorm, knowing that they’ll push through it and back into soft sunshine eventually as long as they don’t. give. up.
7. The ability to face (and accept) reality while still remaining optimistic.
People who refuse to accept reality in order to keep moving forward often end up sabotaging their own efforts because they don’t adapt to new circumstances or information. For example, let’s say a person who’s training for a long-distance trek finds out that they have a major joint issue. If they brush off this information and keep going the way they have been, they’ll likely end up with greater damage and a significant amount of pain, all of which may prevent them from attaining the goal they’ve been pursuing.
In contrast, a person who accepts the reality of this joint issue will adjust their goals and adapt their pursuit in ways that are likely to yield the best outcome. They might get joint-stabilizing braces, look into anti-inflammatory protocols, and amend their training schedule so they don’t damage themselves further. They’ll still pursue that goal wholeheartedly, but with a different, more reasonable approach.
8. An indomitable sense of humor.
Those who have the most unconquerable, unyielding ability to keep going when things feel impossible almost always have a sense of humor that can’t be quashed by anything. Even when things seem absolutely terrible, they’re able to find some humor in the situation to keep them from giving up and falling apart.
Every setback, every devastating thing that occurs, is material for a joke or humorous anecdote. This approach helps them to alleviate stress in challenging situations so they don’t end up being paralyzed by shock or grief. Instead, they release some of that pressure so they can pick themselves up off the ground and keep going.
Final thoughts…
Those who keep going when everything feels impossible recognize how important it is to remain resilient both for their own sakes and those around them. Rather than lamenting their fate and quitting so someone else can do the things that they don’t want to handle, they pick their burden back up again and carry on.
Although the latter is the more difficult option, it’s also the more rewarding one, and often inspires others to do the same. When things get challenging, they’ll remember your strength and perseverance, and keep on keeping on, too.
