There's a Time for Everything, Except for Giving Up

You become stronger when you don't give up, this is because your emotions ignite. Humans are like that, quite capable of restarting as many times as necessary to advance and achieve dreams. So, know there's always a time for everything.
There's a Time for Everything, Except for Giving Up
Valeria Sabater

Written and verified by the psychologist Valeria Sabater.

Last update: 20 October, 2022

There are many paths you can choose; some short, others long. There’ll be obstacles, regardless of whether a given path goes through a forest, a mountain, or a beach. This is because the path of life is forever winding. There may be peaceful and sunny days but also rainy and stormy nights. Don’t give up, in spite of it all. Your will should be uncompromising, and you shouldn’t back down. There’s a time for everything, except for giving up.

Within the psychology of motivation, you must know that no motor is as powerful as the type of energy that combines emotions, thoughts, and behaviors towards the same purpose. This is because no obstacle can stand in your way if you approach it with confidence and keep in mind what you deserve.

Yes, it isn’t always easy to maintain this attitude, as there may be times when you forget about your psychological strengths and abilities.

There may be an unexpected twist in your destiny and you may lose control over your reality and, suddenly, become overcome by fear. The question is, how should you handle those situations? Also, what’s the best way to never give up?

“Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners.”

-William Shakespeare-

A person on top of the world.

There’s always a time for everything, so don’t give up

There are times and opportunities for many things throughout a person’s life. You may be happy or unhappy; you may laugh or be heartbroken. Also, you may love, hate, admire. or be wary of someone or something.

Your traveling feet and curious mind have probably taken you to many places and you’ve experienced many things you didn’t expect. Every day, you learn and unlearn and, also, make new mistakes while you correct old ones.

Your willpower is a sort of co-pilot that’s there for you throughout every stage of your life. It encourages you not to give up and becomes your driving force during difficult situations to keep you moving forward.

Willpower may weaken at times, at least according to a study conducted at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. This psychological dimension is directly linked to emotions and the spirit isn’t always there. Thus, there may be days when the anguish is just too much.

It’s easy to give up in such moments, to tell yourself that nothing is worthwhile and that it’s better to stay still and let the storm break and rain on you. However, this is not acceptable so don’t give up, ever.

We have to feed that willpower that prevents us from giving up

As per the American Psychological Association (APA), most researchers define the willpower that gets you going as:

  • The ability to remain committed to your well-being.
  • Also, the ability to deactivate unhelpful thoughts (such as thinking that you may fail) to regain strength. Instead, people tend to allow those that let them focus on achieving their goal.
  • Knowing how to regulate emotions. Understanding that fear may try to hold you back from overcoming adversity.
  • Understanding that willpower may lose force and people won’t always be motivated. Thus, they must nurture and try to awaken it daily.
A woman enjoying the weather knowing there's time for everything.

You can do it! 

A mantra that’s useful for not giving up in difficult times is to repeat to yourself “I can do it”. Of course you can! You have what it takes to confront, act, resolve, and overcome. People aren’t born knowing how to be strong and, yet, you soon discover you have no other choice than to get up and fight back.

Albert Bandura once stressed the importance of working on your self-efficacy. This is nothing other than the confidence in your own ability to achieve something, improve yourself, and succeed. He gave a rather illustrative example of how this psychological dimension can help a person.

Imagine yourself in a room where there’s only one locked exit. It’s a very old and rusty door, and you have a hundred keys and only one of them will open the door and allow you to get out of there.

Thus, self-efficacy is the assurance that, sooner or later, you’ll find a way out. It may take time and you may have to try all 99 keys before you find the one that opens the door. Still, don’t give up!

There’s hope for people who don’t give up because there’s a time for everything

You must be realistic, as there are times when giving up and taking a step back or withdrawing from certain battles isn’t only appropriate but healthy. However, you must continue to move forward and be courageous. Thus, don’t give up!

People often say that, sometimes, you need to lose a battle in order to win a war. This is because life has many unforgettable sunny days and, yet, there may be a storm coming your way. In such moments, there’s no other option than to wear your raincoat of hope and dance and sing in the rain while you wait for the sun to kiss you again in the morning.

Remember, there’ll be a tomorrow as long as you don’t give up and are bold and courageous. It’s just something to keep in mind!


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


  • Martijn, C., et al. (2002). Getting a grip on ourselves: challenging expectancies about loss of energy after self-control. Social Cognition, 20, 441-460.

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.