Seriously – this is a choice. I don’t care what part of your life we’re talking about – it could be creative, intellectual, or physical. Stopping is a choice – quitting is a choice.
There are just too many examples of humans pushing themselves through pain and discomfort when things become hard, then instead of breaking down, they end up becoming stronger, more determined, and smarter. In fact, I think this is one of the defining characteristics of being human.
We have this unbelievable ability to adapt to hardship and grow – it’s one of the reasons we ended up taking over the entire planet.
I do, however, think the physical component is the framework upon which everything else is built. There will always be exceptions – Stephen Hawking, for instance – but these exceptions are often themselves an example of this phenomenon at work. Hawking pushed himself in spite of his disease, for example.
He didn’t give up.