August 12, 2025 • 18 mins
What happens when we keep going even when everything inside us wants to quit? Celebrating the Hearts Hello podcast's second anniversary and my son's 21st birthday, this episode explores the transformative power of perseverance through life's most challenging moments.
The wisdom behind Philippians 3:14 offers a profound yet simple message: don't give up. We often forget the obstacles we've already overcome, focusing instead on current challenges that seem insurmountable. But what if we viewed these barriers differently? Like planes navigating storms, we can fly around obstacles, adjust our course, or sometimes power through turbulence—understanding that reaching our destination matters more than maintaining a perfect journey.
Forward motion comes in many forms. Sometimes you sprint, sometimes you tiptoe, sometimes you crawl—but all movement counts. Creating "invisible finish lines" helps celebrate incremental progress, providing the psychological fuel needed when motivation wanes. I share five practical strategies to maintain momentum: breaking goals into micro-movements, anchoring to your deeper "why," reducing distractions, celebrating small wins, and keeping your vision physically present. Remember, when you consider quitting, you're walking away not just from work but from untapped potential, lessons yet unlearned, and versions of yourself yet undiscovered.
Whether you're running strong or barely inching forward today, know that your persistence matters. Your future self acknowledges every effort. So tiptoe if necessary, just don't stop—because the moment you stop moving is the moment you stop becoming.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Okay, so this is a special episode because y'all,
we have turned two years old.
The Hearts Hello podcast isofficially a toddler and, as you
know, or for those who areparents in the toddler stage,
(00:24):
you will get a little bit ofthis, a little bit of that.
You will get a whole lot ofsomething and it's going to be a
great time, you all.
When I say I am so excitedabout what is getting ready to
take place in not only just thisshow, but what's getting ready
(00:48):
to take place in my life, what'sgetting ready to take place in
your life, we are going toanother level.
Matter of fact, let me just goahead and claim it now.
We are already on another levelbecause we have been doing the
work.
We have not just been listeningto this show week in and week
(01:12):
out without taking any action.
And for those, if this is yourfirst time listening, welcome.
You are in the best place and Ipromise you that I am going to
take great care of you.
But not only you all is this aspecial episode?
(01:34):
Because we have officiallyturned two, but y'all, my oldest
has turned 21.
Oh, yes, I have already criedthe tears, but I am so thankful
and grateful because he gave methe opportunity to have the best
(01:58):
title in the world, to becalled mom, and so I'm super
excited about celebrating thistwo-year anniversary together.
Two years two the number twowill represent perseverance,
growth, gratitude.
And then just honoring myoldest son, like 21, that's a
(02:23):
big deal.
So that's all about legacy andimpact and being able to see the
seed that was planted to beable to bear fruit.
And so as I was going on myjourney this morning of looking
at pictures old birthdaypictures of him, just when he
(02:45):
was a little I ran across thisvideo and it truly made it all
make sense for me, and so Ithink we were.
It must have been a snow day orsomething and we weren't going
to be able to go to church, andso they kind of set up and had
(03:08):
their Bibles out, had theirnotebook, and he was standing
and he started out in prayer.
And then he talked about thescripture, philippians 3.14.
And he gave his interpretationof what that scripture means,
and for those of you all who arenot familiar with it,
(03:31):
philippians 3.14 talks aboutpressing towards the mark, and
he just gave three simple words.
His interpretation, hisdefinition of what that meant to
him was simply don't give up.
So you already know what thetitle of this is going to be
(03:56):
today, because I feel like that.
There are some of you all whomay be right there at a place
where you're getting ready tocross over into your next, and
it may seem hard, it may feellike things are just not lining
(04:16):
up, but I promise you, if youhave your why in front of you, I
promise you, if you have yourgoal in front of you, of you, I
promise you, if you have yourgoal in front of you, that it is
worth pressing towards the mark.
See the rest of that scripturesays I press toward the mark for
the prize of the high callingof God in Christ Jesus.
Again, his interpretationsimple, but so powerful Don't
(04:42):
give up.
So, again, when I hear that, Ilook at where I am.
I look at the things that Ihave been able to accomplish,
the hurdles that I have beenable to get over, the detours
that I have had to take, and Iknow that is your testimony as
(05:04):
well that there have been somethings in your life that you
have had to go through in orderto come out on the other side
victorious.
And I just encourage you bysaying don't give up, because
here's the deal.
If you give up now, what willit cost you If you decide that
(05:30):
all of the work that you haveput into getting to where you
are right now, today, you decidethat you're going to throw it
all away?
What happens, see, most of thetime people don't look at the
well, what will happen if Idon't?
I need you to focus on whatwill happen if you will, what
(05:57):
will happen if you continue togo, because we already know in
your life has been a testimonythat this is not the first time
that you have had to presstowards something.
This is not the first time thatyou have had to push yourself
to keep going.
This is not the first timewhere you have felt like it's
just not going to work out.
(06:19):
And guess what it did Did not.
Did it not work out for yourgood?
Did you not learn a lesson fromwhatever it was that you were
going through in order to getyou to where you are now?
And so oftentimes we so forgetall of the things that we have
been through to get us up tothis place, as if life has just
(06:43):
been this crystal stairway andwe have not had to go through
anything, that we have nottripped up some steps, that we
have not scraped our knee, thatwe have not been in a place
where sometimes we're justtrying to figure out what is
going to be the next thing thatwe need to do.
Sometimes we forget, but I'mhere to remind you.
(07:05):
Don't give up.
See, when I started thispodcast, I wasn't sure how it
was going to go.
I wasn't sure what I was goingto talk about for two years.
But what I did know is that Iwas given an instruction to
(07:27):
start this podcast and so,therefore, without knowing all
of the pieces, I kept goingFirst month down, second month
down, six months down, yearfirst year completed.
All while still going throughlife.
(07:52):
See, oftentimes I think thatpeople only move when the
conditions are perfectAbsolutely not.
What if airplanes only took offwhen the weather conditions
were perfect?
What if things only moved whenthey were perfect?
(08:18):
Now, yes, there will be timeswhen planes definitely cannot
fly in certain conditions, orboats certainly can't sail in
certain conditions, but ninetimes out of 10, they have
already realized that.
You know what?
This is only happening for amoment.
And guess what?
(08:40):
We can fly around it.
We can go in a differentdirection and it may take us a
little longer to get there, butwe are still going to reach our
destination.
And sometimes I think we feellike, oh, I can't just do it
(09:03):
right now because you know theconditions aren't right.
Well, can you go around, canyou go through it?
Sometimes planes have to flythrough it.
Right, but what conditions areyou waiting for right now to be
perfect?
That have you stuck?
What conditions are you in themiddle of right now and you're
(09:28):
just waiting for the clouds toroll away?
Can I just tell you that thatis a setup, because if you think
that every time your life isgoing to go and just be peachy
keen, you will always be in astop and go pattern, because
(09:49):
when something pops up, you havealready made in your mind that
it is okay to stop Instead of.
Well, what is it that I can doto continue to move forward?
I like to say it this waySometimes you cannot always run,
but can you tiptoe, can youcrawl?
(10:14):
Can you still have forwardmomentum while life is lifing?
Can you cry through it?
Sometimes, no-transcript,because I've said before, it's
(10:44):
harder to roll a boulder whenyou have lost momentum and you
are on a hill, you have to keepgoing, you have to keep pushing,
you have to keep moving forwardto where it is that you're
going, but too often we give up.
(11:05):
Where it is that you're going,but too often we give up.
Too often we feel liketiptoeing is just not going to
get us there fast enough.
But I promise you it's gettingyou there faster than the person
who has decided to not move atall.
See, you have to begin to createyour invisible finish lines.
(11:26):
You're going to have to figureout what does that look like?
Because there are milestonesalong the way that you're going
to hit, and when you hit them,it's going to give you just like
the games that we used to play.
I don't know how old you allare, but sometimes you'll hit
these games where they will giveyou a burst of energy If you
(11:49):
may grab, hit a certain thing orgrab a certain thing.
You'll get a boost of energyfor maybe like 30 seconds or
something like that.
But where's your invisiblefinish line?
Where are the milestones thatyou have begun to set for
yourself?
And then, when you hit thatmilestone, you begin to
(12:11):
celebrate.
It doesn't have to be extremelybig, but there are times when
you're going to have tocelebrate yourself.
There are times when you'regoing to have to encourage
yourself, because sometimesthere is no one else pressing
with you.
There are going to be timeswhen you're going to have to
(12:32):
press by yourself.
There are going to be timeswhen your energy is low.
There are going to be timeswhen the applause has stopped
and you're going to have to hearyour own voice say don't give
up.
I know, I know, not because itsounds good, not because it's
(12:54):
the motivational thing to say,but because stopping will rob
you of the very thing thatyou've been pressing towards.
So let me tell you why youshouldn't give up.
Let me tell you when you giveup, you're not just walking away
from the work, you're walkingaway from the lessons that you
haven't learned yet.
You're walking away from thedoors that haven't opened yet.
(13:17):
You're walking away from theversion of you that you haven't
met yet.
See, giving up freezes you inplace when you have the capacity
to expand.
You have the capacity to expandyour faith, which could have
been deepened, and yourresilience, which could have
been sharpened.
And here's the truth the daysyou feel the weakest are often
(13:41):
the days that you're closest toyour breakthrough.
So again, even if you'retiptoeing, keep moving.
See, I get it where some ofthose days you're not sprinting,
some of those days that you'renot even walking, you're just
tiptoeing forward, and that'sokay because that movement, no
matter how small, still countsForward, is forward.
(14:02):
So I'm going to give you fiveways for you to keep going, even
if you're tiptoeing.
Number one break it into micromovements.
See, if the goal feelsoverwhelming, shrink it.
What's one phone call, oneemail, one page that you can do
(14:24):
today?
Number two anchor yourself to awhy that outlasts your feelings.
See, some of you all have tiedyour goal to a feeling and your
feelings are fleeting.
They will be up today and downtomorrow, and if your goal is
tied to that, then that's howyou're going to move, with what
(14:46):
it is that you need to dobecause it's tied to.
If you're happy today, it's.
Are you sad today?
Then you're not going to move.
Oh, okay, everything is adistraction.
So you're not going to move.
See, feelings will lie to you,they'll tell you that you're
tired, you're too late, you'retoo far behind.
Your why, the deeper, thereason you started will remind
(15:10):
you that you're still in therace.
Number three I need you to lowerthe volume on your distractions
.
Sometimes you're not stuck onyour distractions.
Sometimes you're not stuck,you're just crowded.
(15:30):
Say no to the one thing todayso you can say yes to your mark.
Number four celebrate thesmallest progress, that one baby
step, that one checklist orthat one tick off of your list
that you can check off today.
Acknowledge it, it is your fuelto keep going.
(15:52):
Number five keep the vision infront of you.
That's why the scripture sayspress towards the mark.
Pressing is moving.
When you see the mark, you knowwhere exactly it is that you're
going.
That's just like when you maybe running that race and you
(16:16):
know the finish line is up ahead.
And this is also why, in trackand field, they tell you to run
through the finish line.
Don't run to the finish line,run through it.
So I need you to keep thatvision in front of you.
I need you to write it, tospeak it, to see it daily.
(16:38):
The more you keep your eyes onthe prize, the less tempted you
will be to settle where you are.
So, friend, heart seeker, maybeyou're running, maybe you're
crawling, maybe you're tiptoeing.
(16:59):
So quietly it feels like no oneeven notices.
But heaven notices, your futureself notices, and the mark
you're pressing towards is worthevery step.
So today, don't give up.
Press on, even if it's just onetiny step, take it, because the
(17:26):
moment you stop moving, youstop becoming.
Now go ahead, go on now, tiptoeif you have to, just don't stop
.
Okay, so this is a special episode because y'all,
we have turned two years old.
The Hearts Hello podcast isofficially a toddler and, as you
know, or for those who areparents in the toddler stage,
(00:24):
you will get a little bit ofthis, a little bit of that.
You will get a whole lot ofsomething and it's going to be a
great time, you all.
When I say I am so excitedabout what is getting ready to
take place in not only just thisshow, but what's getting ready
(00:48):
to take place in my life, what'sgetting ready to take place in
your life, we are going toanother level.
Matter of fact, let me just goahead and claim it now.
We are already on another levelbecause we have been doing the
work.
We have not just been listeningto this show week in and week
(01:12):
out without taking any action.
And for those, if this is yourfirst time listening, welcome.
You are in the best place and Ipromise you that I am going to
take great care of you.
But not only you all is this aspecial episode?
(01:34):
Because we have officiallyturned two, but y'all, my oldest
has turned 21.
Oh, yes, I have already criedthe tears, but I am so thankful
and grateful because he gave methe opportunity to have the best
(01:58):
title in the world, to becalled mom, and so I'm super
excited about celebrating thistwo-year anniversary together.
Two years two the number twowill represent perseverance,
growth, gratitude.
And then just honoring myoldest son, like 21, that's a
(02:23):
big deal.
So that's all about legacy andimpact and being able to see the
seed that was planted to beable to bear fruit.
And so as I was going on myjourney this morning of looking
at pictures old birthdaypictures of him, just when he
(02:45):
was a little I ran across thisvideo and it truly made it all
make sense for me, and so Ithink we were.
It must have been a snow day orsomething and we weren't going
to be able to go to church, andso they kind of set up and had
(03:08):
their Bibles out, had theirnotebook, and he was standing
and he started out in prayer.
And then he talked about thescripture, philippians 3.14.
And he gave his interpretationof what that scripture means,
and for those of you all who arenot familiar with it,
(03:31):
philippians 3.14 talks aboutpressing towards the mark, and
he just gave three simple words.
His interpretation, hisdefinition of what that meant to
him was simply don't give up.
So you already know what thetitle of this is going to be
(03:56):
today, because I feel like that.
There are some of you all whomay be right there at a place
where you're getting ready tocross over into your next, and
it may seem hard, it may feellike things are just not lining
(04:16):
up, but I promise you, if youhave your why in front of you, I
promise you, if you have yourgoal in front of you, of you, I
promise you, if you have yourgoal in front of you, that it is
worth pressing towards the mark.
See the rest of that scripturesays I press toward the mark for
the prize of the high callingof God in Christ Jesus.
Again, his interpretationsimple, but so powerful Don't
(04:42):
give up.
So, again, when I hear that, Ilook at where I am.
I look at the things that Ihave been able to accomplish,
the hurdles that I have beenable to get over, the detours
that I have had to take, and Iknow that is your testimony as
(05:04):
well that there have been somethings in your life that you
have had to go through in orderto come out on the other side
victorious.
And I just encourage you bysaying don't give up, because
here's the deal.
If you give up now, what willit cost you If you decide that
(05:30):
all of the work that you haveput into getting to where you
are right now, today, you decidethat you're going to throw it
all away?
What happens, see, most of thetime people don't look at the
well, what will happen if Idon't?
I need you to focus on whatwill happen if you will, what
(05:57):
will happen if you continue togo, because we already know in
your life has been a testimonythat this is not the first time
that you have had to presstowards something.
This is not the first time thatyou have had to push yourself
to keep going.
This is not the first timewhere you have felt like it's
just not going to work out.
(06:19):
And guess what it did Did not.
Did it not work out for yourgood?
Did you not learn a lesson fromwhatever it was that you were
going through in order to getyou to where you are now?
And so oftentimes we so forgetall of the things that we have
been through to get us up tothis place, as if life has just
(06:43):
been this crystal stairway andwe have not had to go through
anything, that we have nottripped up some steps, that we
have not scraped our knee, thatwe have not been in a place
where sometimes we're justtrying to figure out what is
going to be the next thing thatwe need to do.
Sometimes we forget, but I'mhere to remind you.
(07:05):
Don't give up.
See, when I started thispodcast, I wasn't sure how it
was going to go.
I wasn't sure what I was goingto talk about for two years.
But what I did know is that Iwas given an instruction to
(07:27):
start this podcast and so,therefore, without knowing all
of the pieces, I kept goingFirst month down, second month
down, six months down, yearfirst year completed.
All while still going throughlife.
(07:52):
See, oftentimes I think thatpeople only move when the
conditions are perfectAbsolutely not.
What if airplanes only took offwhen the weather conditions
were perfect?
What if things only moved whenthey were perfect?
(08:18):
Now, yes, there will be timeswhen planes definitely cannot
fly in certain conditions, orboats certainly can't sail in
certain conditions, but ninetimes out of 10, they have
already realized that.
You know what?
This is only happening for amoment.
And guess what?
(08:40):
We can fly around it.
We can go in a differentdirection and it may take us a
little longer to get there, butwe are still going to reach our
destination.
And sometimes I think we feellike, oh, I can't just do it
(09:03):
right now because you know theconditions aren't right.
Well, can you go around, canyou go through it?
Sometimes planes have to flythrough it.
Right, but what conditions areyou waiting for right now to be
perfect?
That have you stuck?
What conditions are you in themiddle of right now and you're
(09:28):
just waiting for the clouds toroll away?
Can I just tell you that thatis a setup, because if you think
that every time your life isgoing to go and just be peachy
keen, you will always be in astop and go pattern, because
(09:49):
when something pops up, you havealready made in your mind that
it is okay to stop Instead of.
Well, what is it that I can doto continue to move forward?
I like to say it this waySometimes you cannot always run,
but can you tiptoe, can youcrawl?
(10:14):
Can you still have forwardmomentum while life is lifing?
Can you cry through it?
Sometimes, no-transcript,because I've said before, it's
(10:44):
harder to roll a boulder whenyou have lost momentum and you
are on a hill, you have to keepgoing, you have to keep pushing,
you have to keep moving forwardto where it is that you're
going, but too often we give up.
(11:05):
Where it is that you're going,but too often we give up.
Too often we feel liketiptoeing is just not going to
get us there fast enough.
But I promise you it's gettingyou there faster than the person
who has decided to not move atall.
See, you have to begin to createyour invisible finish lines.
(11:26):
You're going to have to figureout what does that look like?
Because there are milestonesalong the way that you're going
to hit, and when you hit them,it's going to give you just like
the games that we used to play.
I don't know how old you allare, but sometimes you'll hit
these games where they will giveyou a burst of energy If you
(11:49):
may grab, hit a certain thing orgrab a certain thing.
You'll get a boost of energyfor maybe like 30 seconds or
something like that.
But where's your invisiblefinish line?
Where are the milestones thatyou have begun to set for
yourself?
And then, when you hit thatmilestone, you begin to
(12:11):
celebrate.
It doesn't have to be extremelybig, but there are times when
you're going to have tocelebrate yourself.
There are times when you'regoing to have to encourage
yourself, because sometimesthere is no one else pressing
with you.
There are going to be timeswhen you're going to have to
(12:32):
press by yourself.
There are going to be timeswhen your energy is low.
There are going to be timeswhen the applause has stopped
and you're going to have to hearyour own voice say don't give
up.
I know, I know, not because itsounds good, not because it's
(12:54):
the motivational thing to say,but because stopping will rob
you of the very thing thatyou've been pressing towards.
So let me tell you why youshouldn't give up.
Let me tell you when you giveup, you're not just walking away
from the work, you're walkingaway from the lessons that you
haven't learned yet.
You're walking away from thedoors that haven't opened yet.
(13:17):
You're walking away from theversion of you that you haven't
met yet.
See, giving up freezes you inplace when you have the capacity
to expand.
You have the capacity to expandyour faith, which could have
been deepened, and yourresilience, which could have
been sharpened.
And here's the truth the daysyou feel the weakest are often
(13:41):
the days that you're closest toyour breakthrough.
So again, even if you'retiptoeing, keep moving.
See, I get it where some ofthose days you're not sprinting,
some of those days that you'renot even walking, you're just
tiptoeing forward, and that'sokay because that movement, no
matter how small, still countsForward, is forward.
(14:02):
So I'm going to give you fiveways for you to keep going, even
if you're tiptoeing.
Number one break it into micromovements.
See, if the goal feelsoverwhelming, shrink it.
What's one phone call, oneemail, one page that you can do
(14:24):
today?
Number two anchor yourself to awhy that outlasts your feelings.
See, some of you all have tiedyour goal to a feeling and your
feelings are fleeting.
They will be up today and downtomorrow, and if your goal is
tied to that, then that's howyou're going to move, with what
(14:46):
it is that you need to dobecause it's tied to.
If you're happy today, it's.
Are you sad today?
Then you're not going to move.
Oh, okay, everything is adistraction.
So you're not going to move.
See, feelings will lie to you,they'll tell you that you're
tired, you're too late, you'retoo far behind.
Your why, the deeper, thereason you started will remind
(15:10):
you that you're still in therace.
Number three I need you to lowerthe volume on your distractions
.
Sometimes you're not stuck onyour distractions.
Sometimes you're not stuck,you're just crowded.
(15:30):
Say no to the one thing todayso you can say yes to your mark.
Number four celebrate thesmallest progress, that one baby
step, that one checklist orthat one tick off of your list
that you can check off today.
Acknowledge it, it is your fuelto keep going.
(15:52):
Number five keep the vision infront of you.
That's why the scripture sayspress towards the mark.
Pressing is moving.
When you see the mark, you knowwhere exactly it is that you're
going.
That's just like when you maybe running that race and you
(16:16):
know the finish line is up ahead.
And this is also why, in trackand field, they tell you to run
through the finish line.
Don't run to the finish line,run through it.
So I need you to keep thatvision in front of you.
I need you to write it, tospeak it, to see it daily.
(16:38):
The more you keep your eyes onthe prize, the less tempted you
will be to settle where you are.
So, friend, heart seeker, maybeyou're running, maybe you're
crawling, maybe you're tiptoeing.
(16:59):
So quietly it feels like no oneeven notices.
But heaven notices, your futureself notices, and the mark
you're pressing towards is worthevery step.
So today, don't give up.
Press on, even if it's just onetiny step, take it, because the
(17:26):
moment you stop moving, youstop becoming.
Now go ahead, go on now, tiptoeif you have to, just don't stop
.
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