Do you quit too soon?
It isn’t an easy question, when to quit. There are no simple rules.
But, it occurs to me, when you analyze almost any achievement that you admire, the main characters didn’t quit when many others would have. Pretty simple.
People quit to avoid pain. When a situation gets painful and frustrating and quitting it will provide immediate relief, quitting is what many will do.
Granted, quitting can be a wise strategy. Putting good money after bad can be dumb. Continuing in a relationship with colleagues with demonstrated poor character is frequently a failed strategy.
But, when the stakes are high and the rewards are great, it may make sense to fight through the tough times.
As life goes on, you can look back at times when you had a chance to quit or to persist. Quitting when you shouldn’t have causes regret. If your lists of regrets are beginning to pile up, maybe it changes your approach when you get to the point of taking relief. Rather than take the relief, enduring hardship may be a better long-term approach.
Talk to others about what they regret. They will give you clues about the situations where you tough it out.
As I approach the end of my career as a husband, father and businessman, I’ve learned that if you keep your head, maintain faith and hope, surround yourself with like-minded folks and keep moving ahead, things aren’t as dark as you think. Things have a way of working out.
That knowledge inspires persistence and resilience. And, persistence and resilience are in the makeup of those who make a difference in this world.
