Never Quit

A common idea imparted in survival training is this simple mantra: Never quit.

Can't find food? Never quit. Can't find a dry place? Never quit. Can't start a fire? Never quit.

Simple words forming a simple idea, but it is usually the simple things that mean the most. Never quit. It is the best answer to all of life's challenges - a stubborn refusal to never quit, to never give in to feelings of defeat, to always keep on.

While this is one idea that has probably been talked about and written to death, like its message, it just never quits. History has shown that even the greatest of odds can be overcome. Even the slimmest of resources can make the difference - as long as morale holds. As long as one believes in the possibility of victory and does what one can to advance the present to this desired future, then defeat is kept at bay.

Furthermore, the human being has a tendency to overestimate the dangers around it, perhaps as an evolutionary measure towards self preservation. Dangers are multiplied in one's mind, the specter of defeat is magnified, and feeling pushes one to retreat - however, as long as the mind holds firm, holds stubborn the idea to Never Quit, that feeling holds steady. In a sense, we are the generals of our own psychological armies, and we are always in charge of rallying our forces for one more great push.

The great advantage of the human mind over the human body is that it is unlimited; our ability to conceptualize is unlimited, unlike our ability to translate that concept into reality - while our physical abilities are limited to what is physically possible, our mental abilities are limited only by what we allow ourselves to be limited by.

Thus, continuing on the earlier metaphor, our psychological armies are unlimited, needing only the occasional rest and recuperation to recharge itself. One's discipline and one's motivation is all that counts here, and as long as the human being refuses to quit, the army marches on and on.

While one may think that there is a time for quitting, it is usually worth the effort to continue. Discipline builds upon itself; quitting builds upon itself, insinuates itself into the mind. The ability to distinguish between when one simply realizes the worthlessness of a goal and when one is simply giving up is very important. When in doubt, however, it is more profitable to continue than to quit.

Quitting imparts in the mind a false relief; after all, effort has stopped. Continuing imparts in the mind a more lasting strength, a confidence that anything can be overcome as long as one never gives up.