Abby Connolly
The following column is the opinion and analysis of the writer, Abby Connolly.
We live in a society where quitting something is often associated with giving up and weakness.
Therefore, we often feel like we can’t quit anything, whether it be a job, a sport, a hobby, or even a relationship. But here’s the thing – sometimes you have to quit something in order to succeed or ‘win’ in the long run.
On the one hand, yes, you don’t want to quit something the second it gets hard. We’re often told as kids not to quit something or that quitting is for losers by our parents because they figured it was the only way we’d stick with something and learn about perseverance.
But as adults, we have to persevere through so much more than we do when we’re kids, and sometimes quitting something that’s only adding more stress to our lives is more beneficial than disappointing.
This is especially true for jobs and relationships that no longer serve you. If you’re working a job where you dread clocking in every day or feel like there’s no way to get ahead, it’s probably time to quit. If you don’t, that dream job of yours isn’t going to just magically fall in your lap. Sometimes, it takes quitting one job to move forward in another.
Then there are relationships. Many old-fashioned people believe you should be trying repeatedly to make a relationship work and move on from your issues. However, if you’re with someone who cheats, lies, or simply makes you unhappy, and they aren’t changing, you should probably bow out.
If there’s a hobby you’ve taken up or some kind of ‘challenge’ you’ve accepted, and it’s been bringing you more stress than it has fulfillment, why would you stick with it, especially if you’re a grown adult?
We’ve got so many other things to focus on – careers, jobs, finances, relationships, etc. If something is consistently making you unhappy, even after you’ve tried to improve, then quitting won’t be that bad.
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
