Do you find yourself feeling like you've been trying and failing at the same thing over and over again? You feel like you can't catch a break, and no matter how hard you try, you can't seem to make any progress. Your persistence hasn't paid off, and you're starting to wonder if it's even worth it to keep going.

At first glance, the answer to this question might seem obvious; persistence always pays off! But does it? Let's take a closer look.

What does it mean to be persistent?

Being persistent means consistently and tenaciously pursuing a goal or objective over a long period of time despite difficulties; it is continuing to pursue a goal even when it seems impossible.

What does being persistent involve?

Being persistent involves working hard, being resilient, and overcoming obstacles.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Being Persistent

There are both benefits and drawbacks to being persistent. On the positive side, persistence can help you:

• Develop a stronger work ethic.
• Become more determined and resilient.
• Overcome challenges and obstacles.
• Achieve your goals.

On the negative side, there are also some potential drawbacks to being too persistent:

• Become obsessed with a goal to the point of it taking over your life.
• Neglect your health in pursuit of your goal.
• Become isolated from friends and family.
• Being stressed and anxious all the time because you're not seeing results.

Characteristics of Persistent People

The characteristics of persistent people are:

• Strong work ethic.
• Focused.
• Determined.
• Resilient.
• Tenacious.
  

Why is persistence important?

Persistence is important because it allows you to overcome obstacles to achieve your goals. It is a key ingredient for success because when you are persistent, you don't let anything stand in your way; you keep moving forward until you reach your destination.

When does persistence pay off, and when should you give up?

Throughout your lifetime, you will come across many people who will project their fears onto you, tell you your dreams are too big and that no amount of persistence will help you achieve them. They'll tell you that you should give up because you're just setting yourself for disappointment.

Persistence ALWAYS pays off, and you should never give up on your dreams, no matter how big they are, because you never know what you're capable of achieving until you try.

It's important to remember that not everyone will have the same level of belief in you as you have in yourself, and that's okay. You shouldn't let other people's lack of faith in your ability to achieve your goals deter you from your course.

While it's important to listen to the people around you, at the end of the day, you are the only one who knows what you're capable of and what you're willing to sacrifice to achieve your dreams.

What to do when you start doubting yourself and want to give up?

There will be times when it'll feel like being persistent isn't paying off; you'll start doubting yourself and feel like giving up.

It's normal to feel like this from time to time; after all, we're only human, and in today's world, it's easy to get caught up in the idea that if we don't get results immediately, then it's not worth it to continue.

The most important thing to remember is that progress is rarely linear and that even the smallest step forward is still progress; remember that you're exactly where you need to be, although, it might not seem like it.

If you feel like you've been showing up and doing the work and nothing seems to be moving the needle, then it's time to take a step back, analyze your situation, and reassess your approach.

There's no shame in admitting that something isn't working and changing course; in fact, it's one of the bravest things you can do. So if you find yourself at a crossroads, don't be afraid to take the road less traveled.

Tips To Help You When You Start Doubting Yourself

Being confident in yourself is the key to success in all aspects of life, whether personal or professional, but it's easier said than done. Which is why we've put together a few tips to help you out when you start doubting yourself:

1. Identify the reasons you doubt yourself.

Doubting oneself happens to even the best of us; it could result from comparing yourself to others, not seeing progress being made, or even just feeling like you're not good enough.

You might be in the middle of working on a project, and you come across someone who is doing something similar, and they seem to be having so much success while you feel like you're struggling.

It's important to remember that everyone's journey is different and that you shouldn't compare your beginning to someone else's middle.

On the other hand, you might have been working hard on a goal for weeks with no tangible results to show for it yet, so you start to wonder if it's worth continuing, or you might question whether you made the right decision in taking the project in the first place.

Identifying the reasons, you doubt yourself is the first step in overcoming self-doubt.

2. Write down your thoughts.

Writing down your thoughts is a really helpful way to help you navigate your feelings and identify the source of your self-doubt.

Get a piece of paper or open up a blank document on your computer and start writing. Don't worry about structure or grammar; just let the words flow.

After you're done, read over what you've written and see if any patterns emerge:

• Are there certain situations that trigger self-doubt?
• Do you tend to doubt yourself more when you're tired or hungry?
• Do negative thoughts about yourself pop up more often when you're around certain people?

Recognizing patterns can help you avoid or prepare for situations in which you're more likely to doubt yourself.

3. Acknowledge your feelings.

Allow yourself to feel whatever you're feeling, whether it's frustration, anger, disappointment, or self-doubt.

Suppressing your feelings will only make them stronger, so it's important to acknowledge them and give yourself time to process them.

4. Give yourself time to adjust.

Acknowledging your feelings can be overwhelming, which is why you need to give yourself time to adjust.

It's okay to take a few minutes (or even a few hours) to yourself to cry, scream into a pillow, or do whatever you need to do to let out your emotions.

It might take days, weeks, or months, but with time you'll start to feel better and think more clearly about your feelings and situation so you can move on from all that's causing you self-doubt.

5. Talkback to your inner critic.

One of the best ways to deal with self-doubt is to talk back to your inner critic, the voice in your head that's constantly putting you down and punishing yourself. 

Identify the thoughts and beliefs that make you doubt yourself and then challenge them.

For example, if you doubt yourself because you think you're not good enough, remind yourself of when you've succeeded in the past.

If you doubt yourself because you're afraid of failing, remind yourself that failure is a part of life and not the end of the world.

Talking back to your inner critic can help you silence the negative voice in your head and start to see yourself as someone capable and worthy.

6. Remember your progress and accomplishments.

Self-doubt can cause you to forget all the progress you've made and accomplishments you've achieved.

You might focus on all the things you haven't accomplished yet or how far you still have to go, but it's important to remember how far you've come.

Give yourself credit for all your accomplishments, no matter how small they might seem, and remind yourself that you can achieve great things.

7. Take it one day at a time.

It takes a lot of time and effort to overcome self-doubt, which can make you feel overwhelmed and discouraged.

The best way to deal with this is to take it one day at a time and focus on what you can do today to make yourself feel better and more confident; tomorrow will take care of itself.

8. Seek professional help.

If you're finding it difficult to overcome your doubts on your own, it might be time to seek professional help.

A therapist can help you understand the root of your self-doubt, work through the emotions you're feeling, and develop coping mechanisms to deal with self-doubt when it does arise.

9. Talk to a family member or a friend.

Unfortunately, seeking professional help can be expensive, which is why another option is to talk to a family member or friend.

This person can provide you with emotional support, help you see things from a different perspective, and offer practical advice on overcoming self-doubt.

Just make sure that this person is someone you trust and feel comfortable talking to about your feelings.

10. Be kind to yourself.

Even the people who seem like they have it all together deal with self-doubt; the key is to be kind to yourself, accept your flaws, and remind yourself that you're just human.

Nobody is perfect, so give yourself a break and focus on the things that make you unique and special. The most important thing is not to let it take over and stop you from moving forward with your life.