Episode #111 Quitting Is Okay

Three Problems

• The way we’ve always done it is not always the way we should always do it.
• Some of the choices we make on a regular basis are unhealthy and unhelpful.
• Quitting is most difficult when we equate our work with our worth.

Five Principles

• Sometimes we need to quit something in order to make room for something more important.
• Quitting isn’t always the easy way out, and it can often be the hard way in.
• The sum of who we are is not composed exclusively of what we do.
• Persistence may be the final ingredient of success, but the first and most essential ingredient is perspective.
• Nothing worth quitting is worth continuing simply because we’ve “already come this far.”

Three Practices

• Create a weekly rhythm of reflection when you ask the questions, “Is it working?” and “Do I still believe in it?”
• Engage in the following mind exercise: “What would I do if I quit my job?”
• Before quitting something, consider whether the decision is mature or premature and whether the choice reflects courage or cowardice.

One Perspective

• “A hallmark of wisdom is knowing when to grit and when to quit.” – Adam Grant