We’ve all heard the advice from well-meaning individuals that we should do what we love for a career and pursue our dreams. However, sometimes achieving those dreams is not exactly a linear process. Plus, there are often people who will try to talk us down from our high perches. They tell us to be reasonable, or to think of what chasing such a dream will do to our financial situation. They call us “dreamers,” as if that title is supposed to dissuade us from going after what we want most and simply settle. It won’t, or at least, it shouldn’t.

When faced with this adversity, many people will back down and concede. Were those people ever really big dreamers in the first place? Probably not! You, however, should not quit. Even when you’re lacking in support, even when you’re faced with resistance, it’s important to keep pursuing your dream of entrepreneurship and success. Here are eight reasons why you should.

1. You’ll be in control of your own destiny. There’s really no substitute for being the captain of your own ship . You won’t be dependent on anyone else, and you can let your passion for success dictate the career path that you choose to take. When you reach the top, you can look back and know that you got there yourself.

2. You’ll find resourcefulness that you never knew you had. When you follow your dream and take big chances, you’ll find that you’re the only one who’s responsible for making it happen. You’ll work long hours, pay big dues, and push through all sorts of mental blocks because you have to. Successfully achieve an entrepreneurial dream, and you’ll come out a more resilient and emotionally tougher individual.

3. You’ll quiet the naysayers. There will always be people who lack the confidence, the wherewithal, and the gumption to strike out on their own, and they’ll always be bitter and try to drag others down with them. Your success in the face of their negativity will hopefully bring them one step closer to being supportive. And maybe — just maybe — they’ll be encouraged to pursue their own dreams too. Honestly, someone has to quell all the negativity, so why not you?

4. You’ll be happy — really, truly happy. You won’t come home from the office feeling irked at how your boss runs things, you’ll never have to tamp down your passion just to put food on the table, and you certainly won’t hate the thought of getting out of bed in the morning. Instead, you’ll feel a sense of purpose and a continually renewed inspiration to do great work. The life of an individual who achieves his or her dreams is a good one, and it should be yours.

5. You’ll make your family proud. Your parents, your spouse, your kids, your cousins and aunts and uncles and grandparents — they’ll all feel proud of what you’ve sacrificed and what you’ve accomplished. And while some of those same people may have at one point tried to talk you out of chasing your dream, you’ll still feel good knowing that you’ve made them proud.

6. Those who follow their dreams change the world. Imagine if the Wright brothers never followed their dreams of flight, or if Steve Jobs gave up on his dream of a user-friendly home computer. Yes, these accomplishments were hard to achieve, and yes, these individuals and many others had people telling them they should quit, but they persevered and were able to stay the course. In the end, the world was irreversibly changed, and history will remember them as the ones who had the courage to innovate and dream.

7. When you’re successful, you’ll inspire others to follow their dreams and feel the same sense of accomplishment. You might not see yourself as a role model, but when you do what you’ve set out to do, others will admire your achievement and wish to emulate it. It’s a great thing to feel inspired, but it’s perhaps the best thing to be an inspiration.

8. You’ll never feel fulfilled if you don’t. Even if you do end up in a job that pays well, challenges you, and allows you to work with talented and motivated people, you’ll always have that nagging regret that you never did things your way. It’s hard to live with the constant “what if,” and it will keep you from feeling truly happy with your career.

It’s never easy to follow a lofty dream and achieve goals, especially when there are people telling you to give up and be realistic .  However, it can be done, and if you’ve got real heart and a true entrepreneurial spirit, you’ll be very well equipped to get to where you want to be. Stay strong! So many good things can come from your perseverance, but the only thing that comes from quitting is a lifetime of quiet regret.

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