The art of quitting: Winning doesn’t always mean ‘never giving up’

If there was one thing that was pounded into me as a kid it was to never give up. I heard versions of “never give up” at school, at home, and with every sport that I played. I heard it so many times, from so many adults, that I internalized it. Quitters never win, and winners never quit. Quitting was never an option.

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Turns out there’s a growing body of very successful people that would beg to differ. Knowing when and how to quit might be one of the most valuable skills you can develop. From best-selling authors like Steven Dubner of “Freakanomics” fame to Seth Godin’s “The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit” to Mark Manson’s “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*%$” — the tide is turning on the never quit camp.

I’d like to add my voice to this choir. There are plenty of valid reasons to quit. Furthermore, selective quitting does not make you a loser. In fact, it could make you a long time winner.

Let’s dig in to a few practical examples.

Quitting

First: the sunk cost fallacy. This is when you say to yourself, “Well, I’ve come this far… I might as well keep going because I’m not a quitter.” How many of us have stayed in a doomed relationship or dead end job for way too long because of the time and effort that we’d already invested? I don’t have many regrets in my life, but if I could travel back and talk to a younger version of myself, I would tell him that he needs to get out of bad relationships way sooner. Learn how to quit quickly young man.

Just because you’ve invested time, energy, and money into something that’s failing doesn’t mean you should keep going. Cutting your losses and moving on is a superior strategy.

Another practical application is quitting things that are a time suck. I watch “Pardon The Interruption” on ESPN every night when I make dinner. I like to get caught up on the world of sports, and I enjoy the hosts of the show. Well, once the TV is on, it tends to stay on, and the next thing you know I’ve watched three hours of TV and it’s time to go bed. Is there a way I can quit and reallocate that time? You bet. Being mindful that I need to be a TV quitter will improve my life. I can use those hours to work out or read that book or connect with people important to me.

And finally, one of the most practical ways to be a successful quitter is to quit before you even start. In other words, knowing how to say “no.” This is a hard one for me, but I’m getting better at it. Recognize that a person, meeting, or activity is not going to be a good fit. Just saying no from the start. It is worth its weight in gold.

So here’s my new catchphrase, help me make it catch on: “Quitters win sometimes, and winners are allowed to quit.”

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