Quitting is so easy when things aren’t going great, when something is just too hard, or isn’t going your way. To be able to say, “That’s it. I’m done. No more. Someone else’s problem. I’ll live with the consequences.” Quitting comes easy to some and not so easy to others, but there is something in that moment that is a release of stress over the thing. You relax.

But then the next day comes and you feel regret. You know you let the best of your emotions get to you. You made a rash decision that deserved more time for you to consider all the possibilities. It may not be too late to reneg on the decision, but then again, it may be. If only you had had these three tools to keep you from quitting on the spot.

Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

The act of quitting is such an emotional thing. Like I’ve talked about in one of my Motivational Mondays, when we were kids, one of my cousins was notorious for yelling out “I QUIT!” when whatever game we were playing wasn’t going her way. Quitting in that moment was an emotional response to her disappointment.

We’re no different as adults. If something we’ve dedicated time and energy to isn’t going well, we just want to throw down the bat and go home. But it’s at the height of this point that we need to hold our tongues and ask ourselves, what does this sudden decision actually mean? Will affect you personally in a negative way – mentally, physically, or worldly? Then you need to work through those scenarios before you open your big mouth.

Sleep On It

Like in many other instances, before we make a huge decision like quitting something that has been a driving force for us, we need to sleep on it. As emotions are heightened the answer seems so obvious – QUIT, but we need to quiet those emotions through rest and a little shut-eye.

When you wake up in the morning, you may realize other things about this situation that you were blind to in the moment. Knowing that you have waited to pull the trigger on quitting in that moment should bring you a wave of relief. Now the situation has the perfect time and perfect emotional state of you to be involved.

Get Your Quitting Pros & Cons In Order

There are two sides to every decision. The Pros. And the Cons. For big decisions it is imperative to sit down and brainstorm all of the reasons why you should quit and then all of the reasons why you shouldn’t. The lists will probably be long – any real big decision will have long ones.

Weigh those two sides and determine what you are willing to deal with to do either – quit or continue. And then act accordingly. Once your decision is made, it should be rock solid, without regret, without even a look back.

When Quitting Is The Right Choice

Sometimes quitting is the only option. I get that. And when all efforts have been exhausted and all good time has been put into weighing those pros and cons, there is peace there. And I think quitting isn’t a good word for a decision that has been come to in such a way. I think a better word to use is that you are withdrawing. A retreat of sorts.

You may have lost the war, but you live to fight another day.

Don’t Let Quit Win

Quitting is a loss. I think it’s important not to let quit win. Withdrawing or retreating is different. Just quitting says you didn’t care about the thing to begin with. So check yourself, sleep on it, and get your pros and cons in order. You’ll be happy you did.

Need more inspiration – Read FNBB 97 – The Art Of Not Giving Up