How to quit at the right time

December 19, 2022

As we head toward a well-earned break for the holidays and new year, I’ve been thinking a lot about how new ideas often emerge at this annual juncture. Do any of these ring true to your thoughts about the new year ahead?

You’re thinking of changing jobs.
You’re considering moving out of the city.
You just have the urge to discover something new and exciting.

All of these have something in common: they require us to quit on something or someone. Quitting gets such a bad rap. As legendary football coach Vince Lombardi said, “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.” It’s simply not true: the skill of knowing when and what to quit needs rethinking.

Shortly after I turned 14, I decided to quit competitive swimming. The relentless, early-morning training sessions and the weekend meets meant giving up a lot of other things I wanted to do. The response from teachers, friends, and other family members was “Why are you quitting?” My decision was perceived as giving up, a form of failure.
The Latin root for quit is quietus which means “free,” or “to put to rest, be quiet.” I love the idea of quitting being a release from something.
Quitting can create the space to discover something new — to spend time on different things that matter.

“The heroes are the ones who persevere beyond the point of physical or emotional or mental wellbeing in order to push past that, and like, cross the chasm.” – Annie Duke

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