How to Keep Going When Dreams Feel Impossible: Inspiring Quotes About Gentle Persistence
At Joy on Tap, we like to have an affirmation on the wall to inspire us for the week – for the tasks on our to-do list and the bigger dreams of where we want to be in life.
This week, the card in our nature meditations deck was titled "persist like water".
Water is constantly changing the landscape it touches - not through force, but through gentle, persistent presence. A powerful river carves valleys, crashing waves alter coastlines and persistent drips create holes in stone.
Water is both powerful and peaceful. Relentless yet effortless. It is proof that anything is possible if you just keep going.
Just like water shapes stone, we too can reshape our lives through gentle persistence, one small action at a time.
Embracing Life's Ups and Downs
"The truest, most beautiful life never promises to be an easy one. We need to let go of the lie that it's supposed to be."
Glennon Doyle - Untamed
Comparison culture bombards us with highlight reels and other people's wins. We compare our whole, messy lives to the lovely bits people choose to share.
What we see is a fraction of that person's life. We don't see the messy house, the skin beneath the makeup, or the disagreement five minutes before the holiday photo.
Life isn't meant to be a highlight reel. The magic happens in the messy, imperfect moments. Embrace where you are right now because that is the first step to things getting better.
Learning From Defeats
"We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated."
Maya Angelou
This persistence isn't about forcing breakthrough - it's about showing up consistently, even when progress feels invisible.
150 years ago, commercial flights, electric cars, computers and mobile phones all seemed impossible. To create these things, people faced hundreds or thousands of "failures" but didn't let the defeats define them.
They used each defeat as information to improve next time. Eventually, breakthrough appeared.
When you're ready, get up, dust yourself off and try again - you never know when your breakthrough will come.
When faced with defeat after defeat, remember why you started. Our Passion Colour Block Collection serves as a daily reminder to focus on your purpose, not the voice of fear saying you can't do it.
The Courage to Show Up
"Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up."
Brené Brown – Daring Greatly
When life feels overwhelming, it's easy to give up. But if we want to move forward, we need to show up.
If this resonates right now, we see you and we're holding space for how difficult it feels. We remind ourselves "It won't feel like this forever" even when that feels like a lie.
If you commit to showing up, little by little, things will improve. You are so brave - keep going.
Embracing Imperfect Progress
"Progress, not perfection."
Anne Lamott
Perfectionism isn't about high standards - it's fear wearing a fancy disguise. Perfection is the thief of realised dreams and fulfilled potential.
We often feel that if we can't do something perfectly, what's the point? This thinking holds us back.
Take the next imperfect step. Be brave enough to be "bad" at something and see what you learn.
And as the Chinese proverb says: "Be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid of standing still."
Discovering Your Hidden Jewels
"The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all, and then stands back to see if we can find them."
Elizabeth Gilbert - Big Magic
As we persist like water, flowing around obstacles rather than fighting them, we discover jewels within ourselves we never dreamt possible.
Maybe your dreams become reality. Or something 100 times better happens instead.
Whatever unfolds, there are always more gems to discover.
We know how desperate it feels when dreams seem impossible. But these words are the encouragement you need to keep going.
Persist like water and shape your dreams into something truly unique. If it feels overwhelming, simply show up for yourself today and see what tomorrow brings.
Remember, you don't have to be perfect to be worthy of your dreams. You just have to keep showing up, one gentle drop at a time.
**Note on attributions: While we've made every effort to correctly attribute these quotes to their original sources, the origins of some widely shared wisdom can be difficult to verify with absolute certainty. If you have information about the correct attribution of any quote featured here, we welcome your insights.
Joy on Tap Pick of the Week: Metallic Dreams Prints
When we read Monday's affirmation, we instantly thought of our Metallic Dreams print.
The word "relentless" feels harsh and exhausting, but we want to reframe it as the commitment to show up for yourself and your dreams.
That might look like getting out of bed and taking a shower, or spending 30 minutes on your business. Each small step takes you closer to the life you've always dreamed of.
Encouragement to go after your beautiful dreams with gentle persistence.
Available in gold or silver lettering with your choice of background colour.
Shop the Metallic Dreams Prints now.
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