There are seasons in our lives, where we want something new, better or greater. Some people want a better house, a better car, a better spouse, a better job, more impact, a massive leap in their business, maybe just better clothes or better sleep.
There are times when we wish we could escape the daily grind, take a break, or start over. Everyone feels like that from time to time, and that is okay.
But what about the feeling of quitting? Walking away from something important, something significant or something of meaning at least to you.
At what point is quitting okay? At what point do you say, ‘It’s enough, let’s stop here’? There are two extremes on the quitting pedestal: those who are always quick to give up, those who start so many things and never finish them and those who never know when to let go, how to bow out gracefully and close the curtain on a chapter.
Both sides are extremely dangerous. It is wrong to give up in the face of every challenge and difficulty; it is also wrong to tenaciously hold onto something that has served its purpose and no longer holds meaning for your future or serves your present.
For group ‘A’, let’s call them ‘quitters’, and for group ‘B’, let’s call them ‘those who never let go’.
I will never advocate for quitting. To make progress and do anything significant or worthwhile, quitting is NEVER an option.
Never give up on your dreams, positive relationships, good habits, and positive adventures in life.
Like a general on a battlefield, it is okay to retreat, to withdraw, if necessary temporarily, but not to run away unless your life resources and health are at risk.
It is okay to fail; it is OK to pause. It is OK to retreat, re-strategise, and rebuild whatever you want to walk away from in a better and more effective way, but it is never OK to give up, to throw in the towel without first giving it your all.
Many people give up before they even start. Perhaps you got a great idea, and shared it with someone who couldn’t see your vision, placing your dreams on the ‘rejection’ pile.
Sometimes setbacks mean ‘sit back’, pay attention, learn and innovate. Be like a flowing stream that will always find its way around an obstacle, even if it means slowly and gently forging a path through the toughest stones and rocks.
Reduce your work/task tempo if necessary, take more time if needed, ask for help, but never quit.
It is okay to walk away when you have tried every avenue, consulted trusted voices, and listened above all to your intuition, and seen that future and your vision no longer requires a particular process or path.
You can quit an activity, but never quit your vision. You can stop doing things a certain way or rewrite your ‘to-do list’, but never quit your goals. You can plan for a future time to execute your goals or find another way to approach them, but never say the words ‘I quit’.
Don’t quit on people. You can change the way you interact with them, alter the status of your relationship, and set limits on how much they can be in your life. However, you must always wish people well and hope for change in them, even if it’s not through your direct effort.
It is okay to walk away from certain relationships and review the way you communicate with people when it affects your safety and wellbeing, but this is not an excuse to live in bitterness, unforgiveness or hatred.
In a nutshell, never walk away from something just because it’s hard; pause if necessary, grow if needed, and find new approaches to tackle it and try again. The difference between failure and success is one more try.
Margaret Thatcher said, “You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.” Be willing to fail, fall, and get back up.
Your dreams are possible; no one gets celebrated for doing nothing. My definition of laziness is not taking the necessary steps to achieve your goals.
Somebody needs to hear this: don’t quit dreaming big, don’t resize your goals to the economy, your pocket, or what society feels you should be doing at a certain age.
It is important to accept the things you cannot change, like your height, your family or your skin colour, but you don’t have to let it stand in your way. The things you think limit you might be the stepping stones you need to reach your true heart’s desire.
If what you want can negatively affect others or hurt you, does not bring you peace or fulfilment, will not benefit you in the long run, or contribute to the greater good, then by all means end it immediately and gracefully.
As a rule, count the cost before you start anything. Refuse to commit to anything you are not willing to follow through on.
Avoid starting something you lack the faith or means to see through to the end. You can pause and plan until you’re ready; you don’t have to give up on the idea. But make sure when you run, you are prepared to run for as long as it takes.
2 Responses
This is so timely, I’m learning to re-strategize and not give up on my vision. Thank you for sharing this it’s a reminder I needed today.
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