Knowing when (and when not to) Give Up

My Grandmother sent me this article as an inspiration message, and I agree: Success does await you if you don't give up too soon.... but only sometimes. So how do we know when these times are?

If you really know me, you'd know that they aren't too many things in life that I want that I don't have to work for. And the things that were handed to me just didn't mean as much. I actually like to work hard, to put in work, to earn my due. In all my endeavors there have been many times where I didn't get what I was seeking and sometimes I look back and wonder "what if?"

What if I had spent a few more hours on an application? Maybe I have attended a different university, or be working full time right now. What if I hadn't decided, that as good as I was, that running track was a hobby and academics would be my selling point? Maybe I would be training for the '08 Olympics. What if I didn't give up on anything? Would I still be trying? Or would I have gotten everything I wanted.

How do you know when to give up and move on to the next challenge? No one wants to be called a quitter...but everyone has. Everyone has given up on something they really wanted. Everyone has decided that enough was enough and moved on. But everyone has had something that they were willing to keep trying…and gotten.

I really feel Grandma on this article, but the title taken out of context could be useless in the wrong hands. Each individual has to know their limits and hopefully understand what things are worth continued pursuit, and what things are wastes of time. Pick your battles…continue to fight the ones you can win. Stop wasting time on those you can’t