How to Know when to Quit

Three Alternatives to Giving Up

Most people have been through times when it seemed the only sensible option was to quit. Sometimes the decision to keep going seems too painful and even at times an exercise in vanity. And most people will experience this moment of decision again; should I keep going or would surrender be the better part of valor?

When you keep going in the face of adversity there is absolutely no guarantee that you're going to succeed. No matter what "secret" you've learned from any movie or seminar, that's the truth. The fact is that no amount of positive thinking or even positive action can absolutely guarantee a successful outcome. There are no guarantees at all.

There's only one way to guarantee a predictable outcome: quit! When you quit you know the results instantly: failure.

Alternatives to Giving Up

• Tactical re-deployment: Take your resources, drop back and re-deploy your energies in a new direction.
• Retreat: Sometimes it's best to lay low for a little while, put some distance between you and your enemy and rest your troops.
• Full frontal attack: Damn the torpedoes and all that; simply put your head down and charge into the line. Sometimes the extra push will get you through.

Finally, you can decide that your tactics or strategy should change. There's no shame in recognizing that a particular strategy didn't work. You can take what you've learned into the next campaign.

Some people might say that this is simply a case of semantics. True! However, if you're of the mindset that words are not powerful you better find some new words! Have you ever marked yourself as a quitter? How does that feel? Change the language to "tactical re-deployment" and suddenly you're looking for new opportunities. Words are important; words are the connecting point between ideas and realities.

Before You Quit, Try These Three Steps

1. Assess the situation; sometimes it's useful to retreat a little to get a clear perspective.
2. Re-deploy or change your strategy.
3. Get back into the fight.

You may choose to fight a different enemy, on a different day on different ground. Once again there will be no guarantee of success; the only way to guarantee a specific outcome is to quit.