Thinking of Quitting Substack? Read This First

A raw, honest reminder for writers who feel stuck, unseen, and ready to give up—especially when nothing seems to work

Apr 17, 2026

Stay until the end of this Substack post, because there’s a surprise waiting for you that you didn’t even expect...

They say every beginning is hard.

The truth is, it’s hard to keep going when you feel like nothing is working.

Today, I’m not here to brag about my successes. Nor to convince the world that I’m making it, because I’m still far from my biggest goal.

But if you’re thinking about giving up on chasing your biggest dream, I want to give you something to think about. Not to change your mind, but to show you a different perspective people don’t talk about enough.

Substack writing motivation for beginners struggling to stay consistent and not give up — **Credit: Image from Pinterest**

Each of us has a difficult story that shaped who we are today.

Many of us grew up in poverty, while others experienced grief from a very young age. Some of us grew up without parents, while others were lucky enough to live in a healthy family environment without stress or deprivation.

No matter what your story is, I know that every goal is possible to achieve - if you have the patience and the mental strength to endure everything that comes with it.

A year ago, I was a cleaner - I’ve mentioned it many times, but what I’ve rarely said is that there was a period in my life when the lack of finances deeply affected my mental state. I remember having very little money left, while debts to certain institutions kept growing with interest.

Writer feeling stuck and thinking of quitting Substack platform in 2026 — **Credit: Image from Pinterest**

It’s a truth I was ashamed of for a long time, but now is the moment to use it to give you some motivation.

I’ve hit rock bottom so many times that at one point, it started to feel like home. It sounds toxic, but I believe things should be called by their real names. On top of that, I’ve struggled with depressive episodes more than once - episodes I didn’t realize back then were often triggered by financial instability in my life.

More than once, I was on the verge of giving up and settling for continuing as a cleaner. At some point, I even started to believe that this was all I deserved - a mindset that later cost me a lot.

Still, I choose to speak about this openly rather than hide behind yet another social mask handed to me by society.

This April, I’m showing you my first digital magazine!

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Change came the moment I allowed myself to fall apart.

They say when you hit rock bottom, you have no choice but to rise. In that moment, you only have one option - you pull yourself together and, with your last strength, try to push yourself upward, no matter what it costs.

Motivational post for writers who feel unseen and want to grow on Substack — **Credit: Image from Pinterest**

Everyone pays a price for their successes, and for their failures. Everyone makes sacrifices in the name of the future. Not all decisions are easy, but some feel more like destiny than others.

That was my situation: after countless tears, sacrifices, and moments of despair, I allowed myself to be brave.

Not because I believe success comes in three days, but because I allowed myself to believe in me. Without comparing myself to others.

The truth is, unlike me, others had the courage to think big instead of staying inside the box.

Let me give you an example: my grandmother decided to become a cook at 30, even with only a basic education. Later, after many sacrifices, raising two children, and nights spent studying, she became one of the cooks who prepared meals for the president of my country.

A story that still inspires me to this day. Even though she came from a small village and no one in her family believed in her.

How to stay consistent with writing on Substack even when nothing works — **Credit: Image from Pinterest**

And she made it because she wanted change and refused to settle.

It’s exactly stories like this that remind us why we should find the motivation to keep going, no matter how hard it feels.

That’s also how I came up with a business idea on Etsy - which didn’t work out. No one told me that besides motivation, you also need skills and solid research when you’re building something for yourself.

But if it weren’t for my failure on Etsy, I probably wouldn’t have returned to my biggest dream - to become a writer.

When I discovered Substack, I wasn’t in the best mental state. And as someone who had never created content before, I never imagined that 8 months later I would not only be dreaming, but actually working on my own book - and helping other writers get their stories seen by more people.

Inspiration for new writers building audience on Substack and overcoming failure — **Credit: image from Pinterest**

Every beginning is hard.

None are exceptions.

But what’s harder is staying consistent despite the intrusive thoughts. And if today you’re looking for a sign to keep going, let this post be your starting step.

Because your work deserves to be seen by more people. Because you deserve to be appreciated - but first and foremost, by yourself.

Don’t seek validation from others - find it within yourself.

Allow yourself to think big and step outside the box.

Do you believe you deserve more than your boss yelling at you at 9 in the morning?

Find a way out of that situation.

Find a way not to settle for something you wouldn’t want your children to settle for one day.

Find a way to rise from the bottom - no matter your past or where you come from. Every painful chapter of your life is extra motivation to keep going.

Because if not you, then who? If not today, then when?

Life is too short to chain yourself down.

Slavery ends today.

Use the power you carry within you.

You are worth it.

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