Quitting

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Quitting has a negative connotation in our society. Many high achievers are naturally persistent people, and we are particularly reticent to quit with good reason: we do not want to turn a missed day into the abandonment of a good habit, nor do we want to turn an unhealthy lapse into a relapse back to a bad habit. We understand that many things in life take multiple tries until we find what works.

Quitting in some areas of our lives can be helpful, however. It can be a form of burnout prevention. It can be a powerful way of setting boundaries. It can come from a place of moving towards something better as opposed to avoiding something uncomfortable. 

This type of quitting can be thought of as “optimum quitting.” It should not be thought of as losing or giving up; rather it should be thought of as pivoting to a better option and winning at a different game. 

Saying no is easier when the option presented is not one that we desire. Saying no is a lot harder when we have to pick between to desirable options. Yet we must remember that any time or energy spent on one thing comes at the expense of something else. 

Do less but do better. 

I say no as a form of self-care. I leave or cancel current tasks and opportunities that are standing in the way of better ones. I opt out of “good” obligations when they come at the expense of giving my best at the things that matter the most. I have the ability to refuse tempting opportunities in order to pursue even better ones.