You must never give up and have faith in yourself.

Host: The evening had settled in, a soft glow of streetlights casting their pale beams across the room, where Jeeny sat, her eyes focused on the gently swirling steam rising from her mug. The night was still, with the faint hum of the city outside. Jack stood near the window, his gaze distant, watching the last vestiges of daylight disappear into the horizon. The air in the room felt thick with the quiet anticipation of something deeper about to unfold. The soft shadows cast by the fading light made the room feel suspended in time.

Host: As the night deepened, the air shifted between them. The quiet was full of unspoken thoughts, but it was Jeeny who finally broke the silence, her voice calm but determined, as if the words she was about to speak had been brewing for a while.

Jeeny: “I was thinking about something Luka Modric said: ‘You must never give up and have faith in yourself.’ Do you believe that, Jack? That no matter what happens, having faith in ourselves is the key to perseverance?”

Jack: He turned, his eyes narrowing slightly, a trace of skepticism in his tone. “It’s easy to say, Jeeny, but I don’t know if it’s enough. Faith in yourself sounds good, but life isn’t just about positive thinking. What about the times when everything goes wrong despite our best efforts? What about when faith in yourself doesn’t change the outcome? Failure happens, no matter how hard you try.”

Jeeny: She leaned forward slightly, her eyes fixed on his, her voice calm but filled with passion. “I’m not talking about blind optimism, Jack. I’m talking about the strength to keep going even when things don’t go as planned. Faith in yourself doesn’t mean you always succeed, but it means you keep trying, you keep learning, and you don’t let failure define you. Faith gives you the strength to adapt, to push forward, even in the face of adversity.”

Jack: He rubbed his chin, still unsure, his gaze shifting toward the window. “But what happens when failure keeps coming? What happens when your faith isn’t enough? People tell themselves they can keep going, but sometimes, it’s not about believing in yourself. It’s about accepting that some things are just out of your control. You can’t control everything.”

Jeeny: She smiled, a small but knowing smile, as if she had anticipated his doubts. “I’m not saying that faith fixes everything, Jack. But it’s what helps you keep moving forward when everything seems stacked against you. It’s the belief that, even when you can’t control the situation, you can control your response. Faith in yourself gives you the resilience to try again, to get back up. Failure doesn’t define you unless you let it. It’s about how you respond to it.”

Jack: He took a deep breath, his eyes softening as the weight of her words settled in. “So, you’re saying it’s not about winning every time, but about the willingness to keep trying, to stay in the game no matter the outcome?”

Jeeny: Her gaze deepened, and her voice became almost tender, filled with the weight of lived experience. “Exactly. Faith isn’t about winning or achieving every time. It’s about having the resolve to keep going, to keep improving, to keep believing that there’s more to you than one setback. Faith allows you to grow, even in the face of disappointment. It’s about being strong enough to let failure teach you, rather than let it defeat you.”

Jack: He sighed, his expression softening as if a wall had come down. “Maybe I’ve been too focused on the results, on the end goal, instead of just living through the process. Faith in yourself... it’s about trusting the journey, not just the destination.”

Jeeny: Her smile was gentle, the satisfaction of a shared understanding reflected in her eyes. “Yes, exactly. Faith is the trust that every step, even the missteps, is part of your growth. The real power comes from within, from the ability to believe in yourself even when the world doesn’t make it easy.”

Host: The room had become quieter, the weight of their conversation settling into something deeper. Jack stood by the window, his gaze now softer, filled with reflection. Jeeny remained seated, her presence calm but filled with understanding. The night outside had fully taken over, but inside, there was a quiet peace. They had reached a realization together — that faith in yourself isn’t about expecting perfect outcomes but about having the strength to keep trying, to keep learning, and to stay in the process of growth.

Jack: “I think I understand now. Faith in yourself isn’t just about winning. It’s about staying in the game, no matter how many times you stumble.”

Jeeny: Her eyes sparkled with quiet satisfaction. “Exactly. Faith gives you the courage to keep going, to keep believing in yourself, even when things don’t turn out as expected.”

Host: The night outside had deepened, but inside, the air felt lighter with the understanding that faith in oneself is not about perfection but about embracing the journey — about trusting that each step forward, even in failure, brings us closer to who we are meant to be. The evening closed with that realization — that true strength comes not from always succeeding, but from always having the faith to try again.