What Famous Almost-Failures Teach Us About Quitter’s Day

How are those New Year's resolutions going? 

With a new year, people flock to set themselves goals to become the person of their dreams. Whether it’s trying a new hobby, or achieving a new fitness goal or trying out a new hobby, however, data from popular fitness app Strava, observed that by the second Friday in January a significant 80% of users abandoned their New Year's resolutions. 

From this data, the date has been dubbed as ‘Quitter’s Day’, while not a scientific milestone, it reflects a real dip in motivation. Many well-known figures reached similar moments, where quitting would have been understandable.

Stephen King nearly gave up on his first novel, Carrie, while working as a teacher and struggling financially. Frustrated by early drafts, he threw the manuscript away. His wife, Tabitha King, retrieved it and encouraged him to continue. Published in 1974, Carrie launched his career as a bestselling author and started him on his journey to receive his nickname ‘King of Horror’. 

Steven Spielberg faced repeated rejection early in his career. He was turned down multiple times by the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, one of the most prestigious film programs in the US. Spielberg later attended California State University, Long Beach, and went on to direct renowned films such as Jaws, E.T., and Jurassic Park.

Michael Jordan was cut from his high school varsity basketball team as a sophomore. He has frequently described the experience as devastating. Rather than quitting, he committed to intensive practice, made the team the following year, and ultimately became a six-time NBA champion.

Walt Disney encountered repeated failures before achieving success. He was fired from a newspaper job for “lacking imagination” and experienced several business failures and bankruptcies. His fortunes changed after the creation of Mickey Mouse, which became the foundation of a global entertainment company.

Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx, spent years selling fax machines door to door while developing her idea for footless shapewear. She was rejected by numerous manufacturers before one agreed to produce her product. Spanx launched in 2000 and later made Sara one of the youngest self-made billionaires.

Quitter’s Day isn’t proof that resolutions fail, it’s evidence that change becomes difficult before it becomes routine. To help you continue with your goals for this year, here are 3 tips that can make it more manageable: 

1. Forgive your failures. – Just as this article suggests, failure can be the first thing that makes you give up. But it could also mean that your goals may need to be broken down into smaller milestones to work up to your end-of-year goal. Trying again after failure is important.
2. Know your why. – This is the cornerstone of your motivation. Why have you set this goal? Knowing your answer to this question is what is going to keep you making progress even if you fail at it sometimes.
3. Create a support system. – Goals don’t have to be done alone. Buddy-goals or sharing your plans can help keep yourself motivated and accountable. 

Charity check-in

At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article. 

Alcohol Change UK. This is the charity behind the world-famous Dry January® challenge. Reduced alcohol consumption is a common goal following the holidays and this charity works to reduce alcohol harm by funding and sharing research, shaping policy, shifting drinking culture and supporting people to take control of their drinking habits. Learn more here.

Year Up United. This is a US charity focused on closing the opportunity gap for young people.  Through skills training, internships and professional coaching, it equips participants with the tools and support to achieve career and life goals, helping them maintain momentum and reach their full potential. Discover their work here.

Coach Across Continents (CAC). An international charity that uses sport and coaching programmes to help children and young people develop life skills, set goals and improve wellbeing. Operating across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, it empowers individuals and communities to stay motivated and achieve meaningful change. Find out more here.

This positive news article aligns with the UN SDG Good Health and Wellbeing, Quality Education.