When it's OK to Quit
It’s OK to quit…as long as you’re finished.
Sometimes it’s hard to keep going when you feel like you’re failing. But it’s so much more satisfying to see things through to the end, win or lose. Even if things aren’t turning out like you thought they would, if you feel like nothing is working for you—as a spouse, parent, employee, boss, entrepreneur, student, teacher, friend—don’t give up.
It’s OK to quit…to quit doing what’s not working and starting doing something different (or doing something differently).
But you can count on this: if you’re doing anything important, anything meaningful, trying to make a difference in the world, they’ll try to make you quit. Your growth, your value, your contribution is making them feel inferior. And they would rather curse the darkness than light a single candle (or even let anyone else light one!)
And you know who they are.
When you feel like quitting, don’t listen to them. Instead, listen to Teddy Roosevelt:
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
Don’t be afraid to get started. And no matter what else happens, “dare greatly”.
Dr. Vince
Sometimes it’s hard to keep going when you feel like you’re failing. But it’s so much more satisfying to see things through to the end, win or lose. Even if things aren’t turning out like you thought they would, if you feel like nothing is working for you—as a spouse, parent, employee, boss, entrepreneur, student, teacher, friend—don’t give up.
It’s OK to quit…to quit doing what’s not working and starting doing something different (or doing something differently).
But you can count on this: if you’re doing anything important, anything meaningful, trying to make a difference in the world, they’ll try to make you quit. Your growth, your value, your contribution is making them feel inferior. And they would rather curse the darkness than light a single candle (or even let anyone else light one!)
And you know who they are.
When you feel like quitting, don’t listen to them. Instead, listen to Teddy Roosevelt:
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
Don’t be afraid to get started. And no matter what else happens, “dare greatly”.
Dr. Vince
posted by Dr. Vince at Friday, May 05, 2006
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