It's Hard to Beat a Person Who Never Gives Up | Here's Why...

One of my favourite quotes of all time is "it's hard to beat a person who never gives up". Let me explain why it's such a powerful concept to live by...

"It's hard to beat a person who never gives up."

Or in another variation, "it's impossible to beat a person who never gives up".

Every time doubt starts to creep into my mind, this powerful quote pushes it out and provides me with the motivation I need to take the next step in my journey.

Let me explain why I believe this quote holds so much power.

Why It's Impossible to Beat a Person Who Never Gives Up

So, why is it impossible to beat a person who never gives up?

Because they are still going.

And because they are still going, you can never know what their full potential is.

Just thinking of that gives me goosebumps, because we're talking about infinite possibilities here.

In the personal development and motivational community, it's widely acknowledged that you only really fail if you give up.

As long as you keep trying, you haven't failed yet - because you're still in the game.

Essentially, as long as you haven't given up, there is still a question mark besides whatever it is that you want to achieve in life.

When you give up, it becomes a period.

That's why it's hard - yes virtually impossible - to beat a person who never gives up.

They haven't stopped, so you'll never be able to keep up with them.

Think Newton's first law of motion, otherwise known as the law of inertia:

An object in motion tends to stay in motion.

A person who refuses to give up is a powerful object in motion.

When such an individual commits to their goals and continually moves forward without wavering - even despite setbacks - they become incredibly hard to resist.

"I Will Not Be Out-Worked"

The idea that it's very hard to beat a person who never gives up reminds me of something that Will Smith once said.

When asked in an interview what he think he has that others cannot emulate, Will Smith replied:

"The only thing I see that is distinctly different about me is that I'm not afraid to die on a treadmill.

I will not be out-worked, period.

You might have more talent than me, you might be smarter than me, you might be sexier than me. You might be all of those things. But if we get on the treadmill together, there's two things: you're getting off first, or I'm going to die. It's really that simple."

Can you see the correlation between this, and the idea that it's impossible to beat a person who never gives up?

In the above passage, Will acknowledges that when it comes to talent and hard work - hard work is infinitely more valuable.

The edge he has - and you can have too in your life - is that he simply will not give up.

Most other people will, at some point.

What use is it if someone is extremely talented but has no self-confidence and quits before they even get started?

You can only be guaranteed success if you don't give up.

This idea is also mentioned in the Bible:

"He that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved." - Matthew 24:13.

In life, there are a lot of external factors that you cannot control.

There will be obstacles, and you cannot completely foresee nor eliminate them.

Others might even have an upper hand, because they might have more knowledge or access to opportunities than you do at the present moment.

But ultimately, all that does not matter.

Because eventually, you will ascend to that level, and even exceed it if you do not give up.

It's Impossible to Beat Someone Who Doesn't Give Up

What Happens When You Don't Give Up?

So what exactly happens when you don't give up? Well, there are a few things:

1. You learn more

A lack of knowledge is often one of the greatest obstacles to success. But the longer you stay in the game, the more you learn.

Everything becomes clearer and more natural to you with greater time and exposure in the field you're in.

So if you're struggling now, don't fret.

You're not bad at it, you're just a beginner.

2. You meet more people

As I just mentioned, when you don't give up, time works to your advantage. You become a veteran and your network expands. You will eventually meet people who know more than you and can help you get closer to your goals.

These people will either put you in touch with other people that can help you, or they will show you the ropes and take you under their wing. Not everyone will be like this, but if you don't give up, you'll find at least someone who is willing to help you.

And, even if people don't help you directly, you can learn from them from afar by studying how they got to where they are.

3. You build self-confidence

It's a positive feedback loop. You have to have a measure of confidence in order to stay in the game and not give up. But at the same time, when you don't give up, you reinforce that confidence.

It's an internal narrative.

When you don't give up, you subconsciously tell yourself that you are the sort of person who perseveres through hard things. You essentially mold your self-identity.

No one else can do this for you; that's why it's important that you don't give up - so your thoughts and actions can align and strengthen one another.