Successful Quitting
There’s a famous quote by Lance Armstrong which says, “Pain in temporary. Quitting lasts forever.” I assume the implication here is quitting is bad and you shouldn’t quit even when things are really tough.
On the surface…I agree with Lance that a single day of inconvenience or rough waters doesn’t justify quitting. But I wouldn’t imply quitting is necessarily a bad thing. If you’re beating your head against the wall, day in/day out…yes, you should consider quitting.
I feel bad for people who tell me stories of how their boss is narrow minded and unreceptive to change. They want to do more for the organization but their boss won’t let them. They’re looking for help and assistance in making their boss understand. Honestly, I’m not sure that’s the answer. Will your boss have an epiphany and all of a sudden start listening to you by your will alone? I wish it were that simple.
Deep down inside, I think these folks know the answer…they need to quit. Then, they see a whole bunch of motivational quotes that talk about quitting being a bad thing. They assume they’ll be scarred for life as a ‘quitter’.
Look, quitting is not failure. If you‘re outnumbered at work with people who don’t listen to you and make what, in your opinion, are stupid decisions…then you need to ask yourself honestly if you can really single-handedly change the place. If the answer is no…then quitting isn’t failure. It’s actually smart decision making. Go focus your energy in a place that truly appreciates your talents.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with saying that your goals and the company’s goals aren’t in alignment. And sure, I know the current economy doesn’t lend itself to just picking up and walking away. But, if you come to the realization that your boss won’t change, you can start looking for that next opportunity. That alone offers some relief.
The key to successful quitting is knowing when it’s time to step away. Do you have to try to get your point across when you know you’re right? Yep. But you also have to be honest with yourself about what’s happening around you.
0