Quitting Doesn’t Always Mean Failure! Here Is When You Can Quit - Raheem Dad

There are times when the only option we are left with is to quit. There is no shame in quitting at this point.

We all have parents who always advised us to just ‘grind it out’, ‘keep going’, ‘toil hard and don’t lose hope’; success won’t be far. Now at this point in life, where I have seen many ups and downs of life, I can safely say that endurance and persistence are two of the most necessary traits that can take you to the top.

I have seen kids quit things for whatever reason they think is too big or legitimate. When I was in school, I quit the debating club once just because I was too good, and no one in the school could compete against me. Trust me, I was that good.

In life, we are taught so much about keeping our commitments that we find ourselves unprepared to know when its time to throw in the towel. You all must have heard or read thousands of times that persistence is the key to success and quitting is directly proportional to failure.

Search Google or go through any motivational quotes book and you will find out that moving forward despite hurdles is progress and stopping before your goal is announcing defeat by yourself. I’m afraid the truth here is a bit nuanced.

Every story/situation is different and there are certain factors involved which aren’t tackled alike.

Whether a job, project, relationship or whatever, you may be faced with certain conditions that are perfectly ok for you to quit. We need to believe in the notion that quitting is ok and not an alien thing. We need to understand that if our gut, 6th sense, instinct and experience are giving us a hint to withdraw, that’s pretty fine and it’s going to happen for a good reason.

Let me now tell you why and when it is ok to quit your job.

You don’t Care Anymore

There’s a hell lot of difference between apathy and boredom. The latter condition can be rectified by strolling around the office, taking some time off, brainstorming your mind, a small change in perspective or as small as a cup of refreshing tea or coffee.

However, apathy – I refer to it as a painful state of disinterest – can be cureless; it can be deadly. When you stop enjoying what you do and there is no interest in what actually you do, it is the right time to quit and put your energies to something different.

You are the best person to judge whether a small change would be enough or feel that you are in no man’s land and a substantial transformation is what you need desperately.

You Care too Much

Some experts refer to this condition as “addiction”. It might be the case that you are always consumed with the thoughts of work and seldom find for yourself and your family. If this is the case and you are working more than you should at the cost of your family, friends and aren’t taking enough rest, you need to overlook everything again.

I don’t say that you quit your job, my point is that you are also important and you are in the best position to value yourself. I know a lot of people who believe that their value is dependent on how busy they are. If you believe in this notion, just reject it at once.

You are Surrounded by Negativity

Jim Rohn once said and I quote, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”. Going by Jim’s saying, a sensible person will try to be surrounded by 5 brainiacs, but when you are employed full-time, you are more likely to spend most of your time with your coworkers.

Now, think that you are surrounded by 5 negative people, not only will it affect your outlook, but your thinking capacity as well. Think of the people around you and what could be done to improve. If the situation seems grim, you are left with no choice other than to quit.

You Aren’t the Best Fit

That’s what I call the fish out of water feeling. Case in point, if someone asks a fish, monkey and snake to climb a tree, the fish will fail miserably. Even if it tries its best, persists, makes untiring efforts, is determined, the results would be disappointing.

Simply saying, if you are on the wrong path, attributes like persistence and perseverance may not make any significant difference.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where quitting was the only option you could go for? Do let me know in your comments.