3 Practical Tips to Never Give Up (Even When You’re Tired, Broke, and Over It)

Sometimes, I want to give up.

It’s not that I don’t want to try. It’s that I’m tired of trying.

Exhausted from giving 110% with what feels like pennies in return. I want to be rich… like, yesterday.

But here’s the kicker: real success - creative, emotional, financial - takes time. And when you’re a creative entrepreneur, especially one doing deep inner work (like reckoning with childhood wounds or writing your truth), it takes even more.

This past January, I wrote 20,000 words of my novel manuscript. Still, I convinced myself it wasn’t enough. Why? Because I’m rushing. I want the rewards before the labor. But art, healing, and true creative entrepreneurship don’t work on Amazon Prime timelines.

And yet, every time I feel like quitting, something inside me whispers: Keep going. Over time, I’ve learned how to listen to that voice. Here’s how you can, too.

1. Rest. Reset. Repeat.

Burnout is real. If you’re on the brink, your first step isn’t another to-do list - it’s rest. Intentional rest.

Schedule a break. A real one. Not the kind where you scroll Instagram and call it “unplugging,” but a pause where you give yourself permission to not create for a bit. Rest without guilt. You’ll return craving your work again. You’ll rediscover the love beneath the hustle.

And when that urge to return bubbles up? That’s your why showing itself. Don’t ignore it.

2. Reconnect with Your “Why”

What do you really want?

If you’re a creative entrepreneur, chances are your vision is about more than money (though yes, let’s get you paid).

It’s also about impact. When I want to quit, I think about who I’m writing for. I imagine the reader - someone navigating life with unhealed childhood wounds, still trying to make sense of who they are. If even one person feels seen by my story, that’s reason enough to finish.

That imagined reader? They pull me through. They are my purpose when ego falls flat.

3. You Need a Community. Period.

Here’s the truth no one tells you about building a life or a business: You cannot do it alone.

Even Jeff Bezos - yes, the iconic photo of him solo in a cluttered office - had help. He started Amazon with support from his then-wife and a small team. By the time that picture went viral, he had a company backing him.

Behind every solo success is a team, a mentor, a collaborator, a friend who sent a “keep going” text at the right time.

Creative entrepreneurship is lonely only if you isolate yourself. Find people who get it. Fellow artists. Founders. Friends who will pull you out of a spiral. A strong community isn’t optional; it’s your engine.

Build Slow, But Don’t Stop

Building a creative life rooted in purpose, healing, and impact is not for the faint of heart. You’re not just launching projects - you’re transforming yourself.

So if you’re tired, take a breath. If you’re lost, find your why. And if you’re stuck, lean on your people.

But don’t give up. Not yet. The version of you that’s living the life you dream about? They’re counting on you to make it through this chapter.