Why Quitting Too Early Might Be Your Biggest Failure Yet

Posted on: Failurerequired.com
Reading Time: 5 minutes

“Most people fail, not because they lack talent, but because they give up too soon.”
— Zig Ziglar

The Discomfort That Feels Like Failure (But Isn’t)

You know the moment.
You launched something. A product. A podcast. A YouTube channel.
You showed up with energy and belief for 3 weeks. Maybe even 3 months.

But then:

The growth isn’t exponential.
The money’s not there yet.
The motivation dies.

And instead of pivoting, analyzing, or seeking feedback — you label the whole thing a failure.

But discomfort isn’t failure. It’s data.

You don’t need to love the pain — you need to understand what it’s pointing to.

The “Dip” Is Where Winners Are Made

Seth Godin popularized the idea of “The Dip” — that unavoidable valley between excitement and mastery. Everyone hits it. The difference? Some people expect it. Most don’t.

Creators stop uploading.
Founders abandon their startups.
Writers give up 3 blog posts before they find their voice.

And here’s the painful truth:
Most people don’t fail from lack of ability.
They fail because they never stayed long enough to actually get good.

Quitting Is Easy When You Don’t Track Progress

Here’s the trick your brain plays on you:

If you don’t define success metrics, then any delay feels like failure.
If you never tracked your growth, your audience feedback, or your small wins — you’re flying blind.

So when that first flatline hits, you assume nothing’s working.

But if you had tracked those signs of life, you’d realize:
You weren’t failing. You were building.

Three Questions Before You Quit

Before you give up on something that matters, ask:

Have I given this a full cycle of consistent effort (e.g. 90–180 days)?
What feedback have I gotten that I haven’t fully explored or implemented?
If this were someone else’s project, what advice would I give them right now?

Often, we’re more rational with other people’s dreams than our own.

Failure Is a Fork — Not a Final Destination

Quitting isn’t always wrong.

Sometimes it’s strategic. Sometimes it’s wise.
But the biggest failure isn’t bombing. It’s bailing right before the breakthrough.

Remember:

Every YouTuber had a year of 50 views.
Every author had a draft that sucked.
Every business started as a joke to someone.

If you’re in the middle of the mess, don’t assume you’re off-track.
You might be right where you’re supposed to be.

TL;DR

Discomfort ≠ failure.
Most people quit during the “dip” — before the results show.
Quitting too early is often the real failure.
Track your progress. Reframe your expectations.
Give yourself a chance to actually succeed.

Your next step:
If you’re on the fence about quitting something, give it 30 more days of consistent, focused effort.
You might be closer than you think.

Failure Required