Not Worth it to Quit

It’s Not Worth it to Quit

Written by Lisa Whiteman

As I made my way through the trail on Atlantic Canada’s Biggest snowmobile event, and the clock ticked on and mileage added up, I thought about nothing but quitting many times.  As the snow piled up and blinded us and trails became less and less manageable, wildlife greeted us unhappily, the idea of getting off the machine, climbing into the warm truck and having my support crew take me home sounded so rewarding.  Letting my muscles relax and taking all the heavy gear off felt like sweet release, not having this snowmobile scream at me anymore felt like bliss.  I was in pain, I was struggling, I was becoming emotionally tapped out and finishing The 1000 Mile Challenge was becoming less of a priority.  I mean after all what would become of me after doing all this suffering?  Is this truly worth it?  I had to ask myself what was more important, finishing an impossible snowmobile ride to send kids to camp who won’t go without us being out there or ending the discomfort I am in?  The discomfort of riding a snowmobile for twenty-four hours straight is nothing to take lightly, after all not a single Canadian woman has ever done it and so far, only handful of men.   I didn’t want to quit, I wanted to finish but when you are suffering so much it is just a natural instinct to consider quitting.  I wanted to do the impossible, I wanted to be uncommon among the uncommon as David Goggins put it.  I wanted to put women on the map in this event and blaze a trail for future female riders who think they have what it takes and most of all I wanted to change someone’s life.  I wanted to show someone who was going through the thick of it that quitting is just not worth it.  Walking away from something you have travelled so far to do, invested so much time and money to do and have so many people helping you do is just not worth it.  Quitting this ride before finishing will last so much longer than sore muscles and sore knees, quitting will have me looking back saying, you went so far, I cannot believe you didn’t keep going.  Now imagine, the things you worked so hard for, so long for, sacrificed so much for, could you imagine your life now without them if you gave in halfway?  Or if you gave in when you were fatigued or just over it?  There are so few people doing what you are doing because it isn’t easy, so is it so hard to believe that you are the one capable enough of doing it?  That you are going to be the one to finish and you are going to be able to celebrate doing something so few have done.  It isn’t worth it to quit, after all you were brave enough to even start.