How to Win Through Quitting

Afraid to take the leap and quit? Wondering if you’ll be considered a failure if you do? Don’t worry, quitting isn’t nearly as bad as it sounds and is completely necessary in life if you’d like to become a winner.

Quitting is simply admitting defeat by saying to yourself:

“I’m not good at this, it’s not going anywhere, and I can be happier doing something else.”

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed this yet, but you’re not going to be the best at everything you do in life. There are only going to be a few things in life you really excel at. Most likely these are also going to be the things you enjoy. Quitting is simply a means to recognize that you’ve failed at whatever it is you’re trying to accomplish, it doesn’t mean YOU are a failure, it just means that you’re not doing well in whatever it is you’re doing. It’s a little bit of an ego blow and has negative connotations because to society it means you’re a loser, someone who isn’t good enough, someone who is a failure.

The truth of the matter is quitting is necessary. However, quitting is a lot easier when you understand why you’re quitting. We’ll discuss that in a bit, but think of quitting as a way to remove the fat in your life that gets in the way of your super fit, super awesome life. Sound good? This may be easy for me to say, but trust me, I’ve been there too as society, relatives, friends, and family wonder what the heck you’re doing by quitting.

Here’s an example; This is what my mom said when I told her I was quitting my job and comfortable lifestyle back home to pursue my passion for diving in Hawaii:

“What am I going to tell the family at Christmas?”

This was honestly one of her first questions. Not exactly a supportive statement, right? You’ll probably get a similar reaction from people in your life when you tell them exactly what you want to do. That’s because it often requires you quitting your current life and making a significant change.

Although scary at first, quitting can be one of the best feelings in the world. Whether it’s a horrible relationship, job, or even business, quitting clears your mind and releases the sails of freedom so that you can achieve your true goals and purpose. One of my happiest moments was when I quit being a Realtor. I was done lying to myself and trying to fit a square peg in a round hole – the freedom and self actualization of quitting that job was an absolutely amazing feeling!

How do you know When you Should Quit?

Obviously quitting isn’t always a good thing. Quitting flies in the face of persistence, hard work and sticking to something for it to be successful. So what are the telling signs that it’s right for you to quit?

One of the biggest things I ask myself before quitting is “am I enjoying doing this?” If you’re not enjoying whatever it is you’re doing, you’re wasting your time. You’ve only got one life (unless you’re a cat or Buddhist) and if you’re doing things you hate, you’re wasting that life.

Also before you quit ask yourself this: “What is the worse thing that could happen if I quit, and what is the new potential for me once I’m free?” Consider asking yourself this question whenever you’re about to try something new as well. Oddly enough, it’s often hard to leap into something new even if there’s a huge upside and low downside.

When quitting we’re wiping the page clean and allowing ourselves the freedom to turn a new page and start fresh. This could be as simple as quitting a habit or as extreme as quitting your way of life. Below are some of the best areas of your life to see if you need to make some changes, and simply say… I Quit!

1. Bad Relationships – I’m sure you’ve heard of toxic people, you know, the one’s who are like a leech the suck your energy and make you feel horrible. These leeches are one of the first things you need to quit in order to be the person you want. Find people who lift you up and quit the people who let you down.

2. Your Job – This can be one of the most fun things to quit as you leave the confines of your cubicle. Jobs are simply that, jobs. They aren’t your life, they aren’t your personality, they’re simply tasks given to you to perform. If you don’t enjoy those tasks, quit, and find tasks that are more enjoyable for you.

3. Unnecessary Commitments – Many of us say yes way too often. I did this in college and signed up for what seemed like every group on campus. Spreading yourself too thin results in not giving enough time to any one particular thing, which makes you fail at everything. Quit the things in your life that matter the least so you can be successful in the ones that matter most.

4. Hurting Your Body – Quit drinking, smoking, and drugs. Quitting these bad habits give you the freedom of a clear head and allow you to be more productive and happy.

5. Your Inbox – Quit your email box. This is one I’m still working on, but your email is not your life. Check your email once or twice a day and forget it about it the rest of the day.

6. Your Fears – Quit fearing things. Fear is only a roadblock to your success and happiness. Give fear your two weeks notice and tackle it head on.

7. Your Debt – Quit buying stuff! By quitting your spending you’ll automatically begin to quit your debt since you’ll have money in your savings.

8. Being Average – Quit being average. Average in today’s world means you’re not living up to your potential. I don’t mean average in terms of money, but simply being happy, giving it your all in whatever field you choose and refusing to take no for an answer. Quit going to the 9-5 you hate, eating TV dinners, and watching sitcoms. You’re not doing the world a favor by being average.

Quitting isn’t a ugly word, but rather something that gives you freedom from things that are weighing you down in life. Quitting allows you to take back your life when it’s gone astray. Realize that by doing so you’re not a loser or failure, but somebody who was strong enough to realize they’re off course and change direction for the better.

If something is standing in the way of you and your happiness… quit it!

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