The Problem Isn’t Permanent, but the Progress Is

I almost called it quits today.

You know that feeling when everything seems overwhelming, and quitting feels like the easiest option? Just walk away.

Take today, for example.

I wake up 3 hours later than usual—already feeling like the day’s half gone. Focus? Nowhere to be found. Distractions? Winning every round.

I’m stuck on a project that’s been frustrating me for days. The errors blur together, and I can’t see a clear way forward.

Then, right before noon, the power goes out for the next several hours. Laptop at 20%. Maybe an hour left of work. “What a great day…”, I think.

Mr. Hyde is early today and he’s louder than usual.

“No progress this week” “What are you even doing with all of this?” “Is this really worth pursuing?”

Now, let’s be real—it’s not a global crisis. But in that moment, in your internal universe, it feels monumental. It’s one of those days I feel like giving in.

But then I pause.

I’ve been here before. More than once. The frustration, the setbacks, the doubts - they show up in different forms, but they always pass.

Every time I push through, I realize something important: the problem isn’t permanent, but the progress is.

So instead of shutting down and playing the victim, I shift gears. I head out to a coffee shop, grab a comforting beverage for “Mr. Hyde”, and get some electric juice for my laptop.

It’s not a day for deep work, but I can still take a step forward. Keep that momentum alive.

Because here’s the thing: You can’t control what happens to you. You can only control how you react.

Quitting when the stress is loudest is easy, but the long-term potential is born in those moments when you push through.

The work you’ve already put in? That’s a building block with a long-term label on it.

The toughest days often come right before a breakthrough.

So, are you quitting because you’re done, or because the stress makes you think you are?