SOS: Never Give In

01/19/26

STORY

Winston Churchill stood at the podium of his alma mater during World War II.

Britain was under constant bombardment.

The outcome of the war was uncertain.

Fear was everywhere.

Churchill spoke for 20 minutes, but history remembers just one moment.

Here’s the line that carried hope through the darkest days:

“Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty — never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.”

He was speaking to a nation at war.

But the message reaches far beyond the battlefield.

Never give in to forces that try to limit you.

Never give in to fear that keeps you small.

Never give in to the comfort of easy paths.

The only time you should give in is when honor or good sense demands it.

Not fear.

Not fatigue.

Not convenience.

Let your values guide that decision.

In all other moments…

Never, never, never give in.

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OBSERVATION

Research from the University of Pennsylvania shows that perseverance over time, often called “grit”, is a stronger predictor of success than intelligence or talent. Across multiple studies, people who refused to quit consistently outperformed those who relied on ability alone.

(Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, “Grit: Perseverance and passion for long-term goals”, 2007)

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STRATEGY

If motivation fades this week…

Don’t rely on willpower.

In the moment you’re feeling discouraged…

Write down one meaningful goal you’re committed to long-term and connect it to why it matters beyond you.

Consider your values…

The people it impacts…

Or the future you’re building.

When things get hard…

Don’t ask “Do I feel like continuing?”

Ask, “Does this still serve my values?”

If the answer is yes, keep going.

Rooting for you,
Jay (encouraging you to never give in)

Global keynote speaker
Host of the “Unstuck” podcast
Huge fan of the rapper J. Cole