How Do I Keep Going When Everything Feels Hard?

There is a moment in your 20s when everything feels heavier than it should. You are trying. You are showing up. You are doing the work. But it still feels like you are pushing your life uphill one inch at a time.

Most guys take that feeling as a sign to slow down or stop.

So let me get right to it.

You keep going by accepting that hard seasons are part of the process and anchoring yourself to the small steps you can control, not the emotions that try to pull you off course.

I learned that clearly while interviewing Jordan Litz, who plays Fiyero in Wicked on Broadway. From the outside, his life looks incredibly put together. The truth he shared was much more human.

Sometimes the only way forward is through.

Hard Seasons Do Not Mean You Are Failing

Jordan told me there were moments where the pressure felt overwhelming.

“I was terrified.”

He didn’t sugarcoat it. He didn’t pretend he was calm. Hearing that from someone who performs in front of thousands of people every night matters.

Feeling overwhelmed is normal.
Feeling scared is normal.
Feeling unsure is normal.

Those feelings do not mean you are on the wrong path. They mean you are on a real one.

If anxiety spikes during these moments, Why Do I Get Anxiety Out of Nowhere explains why stress often hits hardest when something actually matters.

According to Psychology Today, stress and anxiety frequently increase during periods of growth because the brain interprets change as risk, even when the change is positive.

Your Brain Will Try To Talk You Out of the Life You Want

At one point, Jordan said something that stuck with me:

“You have to be calm even when your heart rate is jacked.”

That’s what keeping going actually feels like.

Not peaceful.
Not smooth.
Not confident.

Just continuing even when your body is telling you to retreat.

Calm is not something you magically have. Calm is something you practice while things are shaky. The version of you who keeps going is not fearless. He just refuses to stop moving.

If fear is mixed with comparison, How To Stop Comparing Yourself to Everyone Else helps you break the habit of measuring your struggle against someone else’s highlight reel.

You Build Strength By Surviving What You Thought Would Break You

The line that stayed with me the most was this:

“I walked in there with nothing.”

No certainty.
No guarantees.
No safety net.

Just effort and the willingness to try again.

Most guys think strength comes from confidence. It doesn’t. Strength comes from endurance. From surviving moments you thought you couldn’t handle and realizing you’re still standing.

Research from Harvard Business Review shows that resilience is built through repeated exposure to difficulty, not through comfort or ease.

Everyone Hits Their Breaking Point And That Is Not The End

Later in the conversation, Jordan admitted:

“I was crushed, dude.”

He said it honestly. But he said it in the past tense.

Being crushed is not permanent.
Being overwhelmed is not permanent.
Being discouraged is not permanent.

It’s a moment, not a verdict.

You are not supposed to feel unstoppable all the time. You are supposed to keep going even when you don’t.

Small Steps Count Even When They Don’t Feel Like They Do

We love big breakthroughs. But real change happens quietly.

Showing up again.
Trying again.
Taking one more step.
Choosing not to quit today.

Those choices feel small, but they build the version of you who can handle the life you want.

If you’re in a season where progress feels invisible, How Do I Build Confidence When I Feel Behind breaks down why momentum often shows up after consistency, not before.

Where You Go From Here

Hard seasons do not mean you are failing.
They mean you are being shaped.

You keep going by staying in motion.
You keep going by trusting repetition.
You keep going by remembering that strength is built, not given.

If you want the next step, How Do I Start Something New When I’m Scared is the natural place to go next.

FAQ

How do I stay motivated when everything feels hard?
Focus on the next small step, not the entire picture. Momentum builds from repetition.

What if I feel overwhelmed every day?
Overwhelm is a signal to simplify, not to stop. Break things into manageable pieces.

How do I handle fear while pushing forward?
Let fear exist without letting it control you. Action reduces fear faster than thinking does.

How do I know if I should keep going or walk away?
If fear is the only thing stopping you, keep going. If it’s misalignment with your values, reassess.

Why does progress feel so slow?
Because real change is subtle at first. You notice it all at once later. Keep showing up.