To persevere or to pivot is a question that do-ers have been asking themselves since the beginning of time. It’s never a straight road when you are doing something new, blazing a trail, breaking a ceiling, or pushing boundaries, so it’s only natural to wonder whether to give up midway. How do you know whether to keep going or to give up?

Ashley Lagunas | Christian Artist

I’ve crossed this intersection a time or two. The choice to keep going or to give up is one maybe something we decide everyday whether we realize it or not. The days that I feel like giving up, are the days when I’ve lost sight of my priorities and what it’s all about in the end. I can get lost in the details and impatient with the process. This question has helped me in my music making journey: What is my definition of success? For me, success is being true to who I am, and honoring the message I feel called to share. Success is also loving people well through my music. When I stick to that, it brings so much freedom to the journey, and really brings strength to the vision I feel called to share. bottom line; I’ve realized that when my “why” is a healthy one it brings life to my soul and a deep satisfaction in what I do. Read more>>

Kevin Brown | Commercial Photographer

Photography has been a part of my life just about as long as I can remember. I’ve been shooting photos since I was a kid. I had a darkroom at age 10. I ran ads in my hometown newspaper when I was a teenager to promote myself as a photographer. Fast-forward to today and I still love to shoot. I love the challenges of new jobs and taking on difficult or daunting projects that I’ve not done before. It makes me better. I’m happiest when I’m working, meeting new people, and creating. Whether I’m behind the camera on a construction site wearing steel-toe boots and a hardhat or shooting the CEO of a major company for a magazine, I just simply love to work. There are challenges at times, but giving up is not an option. The year 2020 has been a challenge, but throwing in the towel has never been a consideration. Read more>>

Carley Bearden | Musician

When I feel like giving up, I think to myself, “I’ve made it this far.” Why stop now? Its always going to pop in my mind. There’s always going to be something that makes me feel like I should quit, but then I think about all of my fans, all of the people in my life who have been inspired and moved by my music. My DMS are full of people telling me how much I help them get through their day. I never will quit, especially now. Read more>>

Kruz Bramlett | Songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and performer. Lead vocalist and drummer for Cinema For The Blind

Doing music for basically my whole life. So I’m way past my 10,000 hours. It’s the one thing in life that I have expertise in that I also love doing. So why would I give up? Read more>>

Veronica Almodovar | Floral & Event Designer

I think this is a difficult question to answer because everyone has different limits on what all they can handle. I don’t believe their is just one answer. For me, majority of my life has been me just trying to figure this out personally. I left home when I was eighteen years old and for two years I lived out of my own car. I ended up in the middle of Oak Cliff and had to ask others for help. Food was a blessing that did not always come. That time in my life was dark and uncertain. I honestly did not know where the strength came from to keep going. I was not in a state of mind to encourage myself to move forward each day. I wanted to give in and disappear into what felt like a reoccurring void in my life. I remember sitting on the floor of this run down apartment that I was staying in for the time being. Read more>>

Nancy Manriquez | Wax Specialist

I believe that you have to keep going in life no matter what. Staying positive and being surrounded by people who are positive will give you that strength to keep going in whatever it is that you are going for. I don’t want to believe in giving up. I like to push myself. Read more>>

Heather Valcik | Multimedia Conceptual Artist

Isn’t this the billion dollar question? I can only speak for myself, for obvious reasons, but I feel like if you’re still enjoying and can afford what you do, then it’s not time to give up. And if your art is too expensive to continue to make, as no one is buying it to offset costs, perhaps instead allow it to be the impetus to try another (read: cheaper) form of art. Who knows? The shift might open you up artistically into making new works that people will be completely keen to purchase. Luckily for me, I work predominantly in video so I can keep creating to my heart’s content. Putting the financial aspect aside, if the very thought of sitting down to create fills you with dread, anxiety or any of the other unpleasant “feels”, it might be time to abandon ship… or at least settle on land for awhile. After all, absence can make the heart grow fonder and a break might lead to a break-through – one never knows. Read more>>