12 Things to do When You Feel Like Quitting
Sometimes you feel like quitting. It might be after a big win or before a huge challenge. Maybe progress is slow or the goal is out of sight.
Quitting is most tempting when pushing through matters most.
Success is taking one more step, again.
12 things to do when you feel like quitting:
- Think of someone who didn’t quit. My dad was the toughest man I ever knew. The grit in me lived in him first and in his father before him.
- Believe in your ability to learn, grow, and adapt.
- Reflect on behaviors that aren’t serving you well. Quit what isn’t working. Focus on what is.
- Repeat behaviors that give you energy.
- Keep big goals in the back of your mind and next imperfect steps in the front of your mind.
- Think weeks not days, months not weeks, years not months.
- Think a little about how far you’ve come and a lot about what’s next.
- Focus more on process and less on result.
- Remember quitters you have known.
- Concentrate on something you can change.
- Take a break. Have some fun.
- Realize that your purpose has many expressions.
“All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me… You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.” Walt Disney
You matter:
Your grit strengthens others.
You matter more than you think. When you quit, it makes others feel like quitting.
Lighten up:
Energy spent beating yourself down sabotages progress.
Stop beating on yourself. You aren’t good at everything. Weakness in one area isn’t weakness in all areas. Compensate for weaknesses. Maximize strengths.
What do you do when you feel like quitting?
A very helpful and inspiring article thank you and I look forward to reading more articles like it.
Hi Dan,
This one is timely for me. I agree that taking a break can make a difference in your outlook. Feeling like you eat, sleep and breath work or the issue can make everyday feel unending. Thanks for the reminder of not beating yourself up too. I also have connected with colleagues who may be able to assist or offer support through the challenge I’m facing. And sometimes enjoying a piece of chocolate helps too.
Thanks,
Jan
As usual this is a timely message, as I’ve been spending a lot of time this morning reflecting on why I’m usually so hard on myself, and why it’s so easy to assume the worst. When I feel this way I always start with prayer and reminding myself that it’s no accident or coincidence that I am doing what I’m doing in this season of life. That bolsters my spirits and helps me get back on track.
Great reminders Dan. Hey thanks again for the outstanding presentations you gave to the Youth for Christ Consortium gathering. It was awesome finally getting to meet you and hear you in person
THank you Marcio for a beautiful honest post.
I really like the statement”what’s mine will be mine someday”.
Leading a team of 8 peole at 26 years of age is a big deal.
Ouch! Exactly what I need to read. Recently I’ve started to think that I don’t fit in my careear path. I’ve always had multiple interest and that became a problem because of my lack of focus. Several months ago I decided to choose on path and live with it and have no regrets about it. It worked just fine until few weeks ago. I had just finished a big project and started to feel unimportant. Somethings that I’m no very good at are making me crumble. I’m 26 years old and lead a team of 8 people. I sometimes feel like I’m not made for leadership, althought I know there are several kinds of leaders.
I often get myself thinking “woudn’t I be better doing something else? Something I’m talented for?”. I have a degree in business, but I’m really fond of machines and how they work. Build stuff. Work with my hands. I have started do consider a careear change again. Wouldn’t be my first.
My father always told me to motivate myself and not expect others to do that for me. So when my superiors blame me for no reason or do not recognize something I do, I just move along and re-motivate my self thinking that whats mine will be mine someday.
I guess most of that feeling comes from my relationship with my mentor. He is quite different from me and have a different perspective about how the world works. I get myself troubled about when to follow my gut and when to listen to his experience. I’ve had sucess doing both but also got beaten down doing one or another.
Looking backwards, I remember a lesson that even if I slow down, the important thing is to never stop. Even if moving forward means only taking baby steps. As I grow older I think that maybe that thought will lead me to somewhere I don’t want to get. But i fear that not doing that will get me nowhere.
Dan I had been named CFO at my old private firm when the owner asked me to do something I knew was wrong (nothing illegal or even unethical ). I thought my reputation in the firm would be ruined so I decided to quit. An older executive who I always had a complex relationship with came by my office and I told him what was happening.
After he called me stupid for thinking about quitting, he mentioned two things I have never forgotten. First that I could go around and explain privately to the other key people what our quirky owner was doing this time and they would be ok with it and me. Secondly, you should never quit in anger or haste but rather when it is in your best, thought out interests.
I did not quit then and was glad I did not as it was the job and role that made my career!
Brad
Brad James, author The Business Zoo
Thank you. Even if I don’t feel like quitting, these are great reminders to focus on what’s important. #1 really hit a chord with me!
What do I do when I feel like quitting?
I dig deeper.
I remember my “why” – WHY did I want to do this? WHY is this important to me?
I remember my “who” – WHO is depending on me? WHO am I setting an example for?
I remember my “what” – WHAT will happen if i give up? WHAT could happen if I don’t? : )
Great post, Dan.
I have a middle-schooler who gets tired of doing homework and wants to quit (imagine that!?). To help him get over the “hump” of frustration, I have him close his eyes and imagine what he will feel like when he finishes, hands it in the next day and gets an “A.” Then, I have him imagine what he will feel like if he gives up, doesn’t turn it in and gets an “F.” Reminding him how it FEELS to accomplish the goal and reap the rewards seems to do the job every time! Periodically, I even find him thinking of these things on his own. : )
Cheers … to the feeling of a job well-done!
Thanks for this post Dan! What i am learning to do when feeling to quit is to ask for help. I often think that I have to do everything myself and forget others for help, especially if times are challenging.
Dear Dan,
It is very natural phenomenon. When people do not get what they expect, they tend to give up.Many of them tend to blame others for their failure. Many enjoy process, but many look for result. You are right, we should see the process.
I agree with you. When you feel liking quitting, it is better to think, re think and again think. Thinking about next step, thinking about reason to quit, thinking about our effort, thinking about limitation of system etc.
We need to understand the context and our ability within that. I faced many obstacles in the past. They disappointed me, and I was upset. But I never surrendered. I had confident that my effort will get its due. I never blamed someone for my failure. We need to see inward, gear up and move with greater effort. Many times, our effort goes in other direction. Right direction and right effort with right intention is very much essential.
This is a great post! I usually want to stop when I don’t get the results I’m looking for as fast as I want them. BUT I remember why I started, regroup, re-think, re-assess my game plan and keep going. I like your tips to re-focus especially No. 11 – sometimes you just need to back off and have fun! It will re-energize you.
Great post, Dan. There’s a wonderful Charlie Brown saying.” No problem is so big, or so complex, that it can’t be run away from.” I now run away. I call it Management By Walking Around, but actually it is an escape mechanism. I go for a walk, the timing and length of which is usually dictated by the level of quitting involved. It’s not perfect, but, like Democracy, it’s better than all the alternatives. I know, because over the years, I have tried the alternatives.
Regards, Trevor.
Great advice. I think that if we are over-achievers and/or perfectionists, we see outcomes that are less than what we wanted as failures. I love the quote, “A winner is just a loser who tried one more time.” Taking a break helps, as well. A former boss who was a brilliant creative person used to leave the office and walk around downtown for 20 or 30 minutes whenever he was frustrated or hit the wall. He encouraged us to do the same. Sometimes he entertained us with his improvisational humor or we all played with hand puppets!
Dan, I’m glad I had the opportunity to see you at The Gate Church in Oklahoma City and have been enjoying your blog ever since. I look forward to it every day!
When I feel like quitting I imagine a plaque my Dad kept on his bedroom dresser when I was a little girl. It simply said, “A winner never quits and a quitter never wins.” This small reminder encourages me to keep going. Plus, if I quit, I will never know what I missed out on or how close I might have been to the finish line.
Thanks for this super inspiring post! I’m easily influenced by other people so I like to reflect back on the times when friends and family have encouraged me and stay away from negative people that tell me I’m being crazy.
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