Quitting is not the same as failing, but it is scary

If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.  ~ Seth Godin

It is often frightening to let go of something we have committed to doing.  We have been trained to equate quitting with failing.  This is simply not true.  Seth points out that sometimes winners do quit.  In fact, most winners have quit a lot of things to get to where they are.

Often, it takes quitting one thing to pursue something better.  We may need to quit to take the next step toward our dream.  Here are a few examples:

• You quit a job that is no longer rewarding or moving you forward to find another job that will take you to the next level.
• You quit offering certain products or services so you can focus all your effort in your core competency.
• You quit a business before it completely drains your bank account so you can pursue a new opportunity.

Quitting is not the same thing as failing.  It is simply a change in tactics.  It is a change in strategy.  We don’t give up our ultimate dream when we quit.  We just pursue it from a new angle.

How do you know when to quit?

You should quit if you’re on a dead-end path.  You should quit if you’re facing a Cliff.  You should quit if the project you’re working on has a Dip that isn’t worth the reward at the end. ~ Seth Godin

This is the crux of the issue, isn’t it?  How do you know when to quit?  If we had a crystal ball, it would be easy, but we don’t.  We can’t see into the future.  However, Seth Godin believes as I do that deep down inside we usually know.  At the very least, if we don’t see it everyone else around us does.  Ask around.

Seth says there are two main situations we need to recognize to know to when to quit immediately.  They are:

• The Cul-de-sac – This is the situation where you work and work and work and nothing much changes.  No matter how hard you push, people just aren’t buying what you’re selling.  Lots of people get stuck here.  The dead-end job is the proverbial cul-de-sac.  You are stuck and there is no way out.  The only solution is to quit.
• The Cliff – The Cliff is the situation where you can’t or won’t quit until the whole thing falls apart.  This is riding a business into bankruptcy or staying with a failing job until you find yourself out on the street.  The pain of quitting the Cliff just gets bigger and bigger over time.

If we find ourselves in either of these two circumstances, then Seth advises us to quit immediately.  Do not pass go, do not collect $200, just quit as quickly as humanly possible.

The Dip is the weed out zone

If you want to be a superstar, then you need to find a field with a steep dip.  ~ Seth Godin

The Dip is the valley between the honeymoon of starting up and achieving real success.  Every worthwhile venture has a Dip.  It has a time when reality sets in and we start questioning whether the pain of continuing is worth the reward at the end.

I relate to this most easily by thinking about the weed out classes in college.  Almost every degree program worth pursuing had a class widely labeled by students as “the weed out course”.  It seemed that the course was designed to be exceptionally challenging in order to weed out the students that weren’t fully committed to the program.  It was a test to see if you could cut it.  It was the Dip.

Becoming a doctor has a Dip, it is called medical school.  Becoming a professional athlete has a Dip, it is years and years of training.  Becoming CEO has a Dip, it is committing yourself to exceptional performance over the long haul.

Everything worth doing has a Dip.  If you quit in the Dip, then you give up all the rewards on the other side.

Things to ask yourself before quitting

Realizing that quitting is worth your focus and consideration is the first step to becoming the best in the world.  ~ Seth Godin

Seth Godin goes even further to help us recognize when to quit.  He gives us three easy questions to ask ourselves.  They are:

• Am I panicking? – We often quit when a painful or particularly scary moment hits us.  This can be dangerous and expensive!  Quitting when panicked is the path of the weak.  Quitting in the Dip could be a bad move.
• Who am I trying to influence? – Who is it that you have to convince to get what you want?  Make sure you are clear about this and think about what might change their minds before giving up.
• What sort of measurable progress am I making? – In any situation, you are either moving ahead, falling behind or standing still.  Which is it?  If you are still moving forward just slower than expected, then you may be in the Dip.  If you are putting forth a lot of effort and you are not moving forward, then it is probably time to quit.

These three questions should help you discern where you’re at.  Remember, those that succeed know when to quit!

Go ahead and quit your way to success!

Is doing nothing better than planning on quitting and then doing something great?  ~ Seth Godin

We can waste our lives in dead-end jobs, failing businesses and archaic industries or we can quit and do something remarkable.  Which is it going to be for you?  I know that quitting isn’t as easy to do as it is to write about, but what is the alternative?  Doing nothing is safe, but where will you be in another five years?  In the same place?  Quitting and pursuing something with a big Dip might just pay off!

Should you quit?  What has been your experience with quitting?

Photo by slopjop