Never give up when you have nothing left to lose.

I see that Tom is trying to get out of this by trying to play games with semantics. I can assure him that Japan gave up. If he wants to call giving up "a change of plans" then I give up. Everybody gives up sooner or later over something or other no matter how persistent. So it is complete claptrap and pollyana thinking to say "never" give up. Sometimes it is a very wise thing to give up and do something else. But that is not changing your plans because you may not have made any when you give up.

Pope Benedict very wisely gave up. And the Pope is supposed to be infallible. So I will listen to him rather than Tom. And while we are on the subject of the Pope and religion, even Jesus gave up when the Romans came to arrest him and he advised his supporters not to resist. So basically he gave up too.

I think the phrase "give up" is bothering poor Tom and the rest of you so I will give it up and use a better one. How about "let go"? That might make it more palatable.

Anyway I am happy to keep arguing about this and you will all give up before I do. And that will prove my point. I see that the original poster who said "never" give up appears to have given up already.

On another note I see that Tom is quoting from that A.L Williams insurance chap. A pity he can't come up with his own original sayings. It is true that Williams wasn't keen on giving up but in the end even he had to when he had a heart attack and I believe someone deceived him in a business deal. No. Sometimes you have to give up. And you will..............you will....................

I think "unconditional surrender" counts.

White Rodent,

I'm afraid that if we change 'never' to 'maybe' there would be a lot of losers in this ole world. Quitting can't be an option when you trying to reach a goal. You do, and do, do, and do, and do some more until the end. You either win or you lose, but you never quit.

That too is an old Williams thought. I worked with Art back in the 70's. I could tell you a lot about him. One great fellow for sure.

I'm sure he would be happy if I shared this one with you, one of his favorites,

"People won't follow a dull, disillusioned, frustrated crybaby."

Ok I stop, not quitting, just stopping. lol

Tom

"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different."
- Kurt Vonnegut

Art Williams wrote a wonderful book and I recommend it. But here is an equally wonderful book which supports my view rather than Art's. It is called "The Actor" by Eve Brandstein. A lot of it can apply to a magician too. It has a whole chapter entitled "When to Quit". Here are a couple of extracts:

"Our culture says that it's bad for someone to quit. This is absurd. I think it is better to quit than to be unhappy for the rest of your life. Sometimes in fact, quitting is exactly what you need to do to GET BACK ON TRACK"

Or how about this:

"Persistence is a virtue but not when it is ruining your life. The fact is that persistence alone will never turn the tide in a thwarted career. You can hang around until you're eighty but if you're not feeling good about the acting profession, you're not going to make it.Sometimes performers refuse to give up on their career because of PRIDE rather than drive. They are afraid that they'll be seen as failures if the drip out of the acting world. Stuborn pride and the fear opf looking like a failure feed their persistence. If that's happening to you , maybe it's time to let it go. Set yourself free from suffering"

I think the above applies not just to acting but to magic and to selling or to the retail business or to being a social worker or to being a day care operator or to being Pope.

Sure, you have to be persistent up to a certain point but once you have reached that point (and it should take a fairly long time to reach that point) then it is time to say "enough".

To say "Never" quit is absolute drivel. Sometimes the best thing in the world you can do is to recognise reality and say "I've had enough" and go on to other things. This "never quit" nonsense is a faulty American culture thing and it can give someone an inferiority complex. It encourages people to keep on and on and on and on and on and on and on until they make themselves ill.

You will never find anyone as persistent as me. That I can promise you. But even I know that sometimes it is a very commendable thing to simply say, "Well I guess that's it". It should take a long for this to happen but happen it should if it becomes necessary. To repeat the wisdom of W.C.Fields again:

"If at first you don't succeed then try, try again---and then give up before you make a *** fool of yourself"

Nice.

Yes, inspiring others to achieve positive results in life always warrants a positive role model.

Ya gotta know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. It is just part of the game.

Positive role models can come from the strangest places...

Whit is correct. And another way of saying it is "You have to know when to keep going and when to give up" But that is not the same as "NEVER give up".
And I shall give up pushing the point when the message sinks in.

Never give up your worthwhile innermost dreams.

Of course, do no harm.

But never give up.

Change strategies, adjust targets but never give up your dreams.

We pass this way only once.

White Rodent
All of the other Aussies are fest asleep, and you are still up.

Never give up even when others are telling you to.

Never give up because even the road to nowhere leads to somewhere and from there you can get to anywhere.

Stay the course and be thankful that so many before us never gave up.
We owe much to those that didn't give up fighting for us.

Tom

It appears that some of you never give up believing in nonsense. It is common sense that you must give up sometimes. Both Adolf Hitler and Churchill said "Never give up" and both said it with equal determination but in the end one of them had to. There comes a time to reevaluate your goals whatever they are and if that reevaluation results in a decision to do something else then that is what you must do. You don't give up easily and you don't give up too soon. But if good and careful judgement indicates that it is time to fold your hand then fold it you should. To tell someone to NEVER give up is very bad advice and could lead to a lot of unnecessary suffering. No. Give up when it is the right time to do so. Don't give up too easily but give up rather than go through your whole life wasting your time driving yourself nuts.

For every person who has never given up and gotten somewhere because of it there are thousands who never gave up and as a result their ship never came in. That is because they didn't give up when they should have done.

Sometimes some of this motivational claptrap can do more harm than good.

And still you must never give up on your worthwhile dreams.

Rest, change strategies or reevaluate your plans if you must.

But, you must NEVER GIVE UP.

White Rodent,

The thought of giving up never enters our mind.
We can't afford to start thinking such thoughts.

I'm sure you have heard this by Lao Tau:

“Watch your thoughts; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habit.

Watch your habits; they become character.

Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.”


It's in the blood that "winners never quit and quitters never win."

I think Calvin Coolidge said it well with:

"Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."


Like Pakar Ilusi said, Rest, change strategies or reevaluate your plans if you must.

But never, never, NEVER GIVE UP.


Tom

Be attentive to the differences between your inspirations and other people's advice.
Leave sleeping bears to animal control experts.

The reason why is tautological.