When Efforts Don’t Pay Off: Should You Keep Going?

xiaoqing included in category Thinking

2024-11-03 2024-11-03 418 words 2 minutes

This article is a prose thinking article that explores whether one should persist when efforts do not meet expectations. The author first expressed the doubts and confusion faced when exploring future possibilities, especially the struggles and doubts when positive feedback has not yet been seen. The author chose a path different from traditional part-time jobs, which is full of challenges, but is considered a shortcut to success. The article then proposes that when faced with a dilemma without positive feedback, one should review the original intention and think about whether the current action has deviated from the original goal. The author uses personal experience, such as writing blogs and wechat offical accounts, to illustrate how to keep the original intention and maintain the motivation to move forward by breaking down expectations and setting stage goals. This approach not only makes the task easier to achieve, but also enhances the confidence to continue. Finally, the article emphasizes the importance of giving oneself confidence, pointing out that the process of finding a new direction in confusion and regaining confidence in loss is the key to personal growth and self-salvation. Through content creation, the author re-recognized himself, found inner peace and strength, and believed that he could find a new position and direction. The whole article is based on the author's personal experience and thinking, conveying the importance of maintaining the original intention, subdividing goals, and strengthening confidence when facing challenges and difficulties, providing readers with useful inspiration and encouragement.

Contents

Should One Persist When Efforts Do Not Yield the Expected Results?

Exploring future possibilities can be incredibly challenging, often leading to doubt and confusion, raising questions about whether current actions hold meaning—especially when there’s no positive feedback. I want to take a shortcut, knowing that regular employment offers a predictable future. So, I’m choosing a different path. While it may be thorny, muddy, and full of cliffs, it might be a quicker route. Like climbing a mountain: when you reach the top, no matter how much you want to stay, you must descend. Why not continue forward and explore life’s second peak?

1 Staying True to Your Original Intentions

When what you’re doing isn’t yielding positive results, consider why you started and whether you’ve strayed from that purpose. My blog’s slogan, “Don’t forget why you started,” is a reminder I gave myself before moving to Shanghai to stay true to my original intentions. “A general on the march doesn’t chase rabbits,” as they say.

2 Lowering Expectations (Segmented Goals)

Expectations can also be broken down into smaller, more attainable goals. You could treat each step as part of your daily routine without demanding immediate feedback. For example, I started my blog and Wechat official account as a way to express myself, hoping it would grow (with a follower goal of 100). Yet, after putting in considerable effort, I found this process much harder than anticipated. So, I adopted a segmented approach, setting a phased goal: publish one article each week until 2025, totaling twelve articles. Reaching each phase goal first makes it easier to keep going before setting the next one.

A tall building is carefully constructed brick by brick; every effort made now, every goal achieved, is part of laying a solid foundation for the future. Each step adds a brick to the grand structure that lies ahead. Only through continuous, short-term positive feedback can you find the support needed to keep going.

3 Keeping Confidence

Maintaining self-confidence is crucial. Without it, perseverance is nearly impossible. Compared to August and September, I’m now clearer on my path and have found something I truly enjoy. All I need to do now is plant the seeds, let them root, and wait for them to flourish. I’ve always believed I could find a new direction, and that belief fuels my exploration. I’m gradually discovering my own new positioning—a self-redemption of sorts, finding direction in confusion, regaining confidence in disappointment. Through content creation, I am reconnecting with myself, slowly finding inner peace and strength.