My mother always told me when I was young: "A winner never quits and a quitter never wins." I'm sure many of you have heard something very similar. "Quitting" has always been associated with negative terms such as "failure" and "giving up," but in all honesty I believe quitting to be so much more than that. To quit something can very easily be the best thing you can do for yourself whether it be a bad relationship, a sport you've lost heart for or just dropping a task when you've bit off more than you can chew. Quitting is always an option, an "out" for the person that cannot continue on. However, the shameful nature that we have attributed to the idea of quitting has deterred most of us from doing so.
Of course, to quit something in life without a second thought just because it starts to get difficult is still not acceptable. You have to fight for yourself, or whatever it may be that you are considering quitting on. The ultimate decision is a weight that rests heavy on your mind, your body, and your soul. I'm not favoring one choice over the other, but when you think about quitting something, think of the following:
1. What are the immediate repercussions of your decision?
What will happen right after you make this decision? What will change right away?
2. What are the long-term repercussions of your decision?
How will your choice change your plans for the future?
3. What are the benefits and consequences of your decision?
What will result from this choice--both good and bad? It is important to weigh the pros and cons in order to make a rational decision. Perhaps writing down each on a piece of paper for visual assistance will make the decision easier.
4. Can you see yourself without this (sport, person, activity)?
A huge part of following through with quitting is not only being able to imagine yourself in the future without your (person, sport, activity), but also coming to terms with that possibility.
5. What will make you happier?
Whether you feel pressured by family, friends or yourself, this is the time to be selfish. Think about how you will feel because it is you alone that has to live with what results from your decision.
6. What do the people that matter to you say about you quitting?
Be wary of taking in other's opinions -- especially for those of you that feel you aren't able to quit because "if you do your parents will do X to you/cut you off." Is your decision to quit better than you feeling trapped? Take multiple opinions into consideration, especially your own.
7. What is truly the right thing to do?
Nobody can define something as the "right" thing to do but you.
Deciding whether to quit something is time-consuming and emotionally exhausting when you are torn between continuing on and ending it all. The wear and tear on your mind, body and soul can be devastating at times. Unfortunately, this is simply something we cannot help, and we have every right to feel every emotion we do (frustration, confusion, sadness etc.). When you really think about it, we are raised to follow directions and do what we're told. But when the time comes for our own judgment to be the "end-all-be-all," it all comes down to trusting yourself and knowing yourself.
