When a boxer raises his hands in victory we don’t see those years of work he put in when nobody was looking.
We don’t see the time he was running the stadium stairs panting and out of breath, legs killing him, heart rate exploding from his chest, and nausea sets in with that dull cold pain in the pit of his stomach.
We don’t see him barely able to make it up those steps and we’re not there to cheer him on. But despite the pain, he endures and refuses to give up.
He also refuses to give up when battered by his opponents punches when we are watching and cheering.
He has the ability to endure this storm because he refused to give up morning after early morning of running those dreadful steps, jogging in the cold, hitting the punching bag when his back and shoulders were burning, and taking a cold shower after each workout.
You could apply this same principle to Michaelangelo. We haven't seen his paintings from when he was a young boy. They were terrible, I’m sure of it. But all through his early years he pressed on and now we see the good stuff and it’s legendary.
So whether for a skill you’re practicing, a physical feat you’re attempting, health issue you’re battling, or a bad habit you’re kicking, never ever ever ever give up–especially when nobody is there to cheer you on. Cheer yourself on and get it done.
Just the act of enduring dozens and dozens of times is an accomplishment that you will always have–even if it doesn’t lead to great fame or fortune. Never give up whether people are watching or not.