When To Quit

"Can one start a fast with baklava in one’s hand?" - Armenian Proverb

When to Quit

According to Martin Groder, writing in the January 30, 1987 issue of Bottom Line Personal  (I know...that's old and probably out of print -- it just resurfaced on my desk), most of us don't know when to quit.  We think that if we just stick to something long enough, we can make it work. But Groder observes that..."there is often a fine line between applying appropriate tenacity and banging your head against a brick wall."

Groder encourages one to honestly examine your motives. He says that in examining projects that you have been doing continuously for a long time, stop asking these questions...

*  What's wrong with me?
*  How do I fix it?
*  How can I finsh or keep doing this?

Instead, he suggests that you start asking...
*  Do I remember why I started?
*  Is my reason for starting still valid?
*  Is this something that, knowing what I know now, I'd do again?
*  If the answer is no, why am I continuing it?

At those moments of strong hesitation, when there is a sense of discomfort or mismatch, step back and consider that you might not be in the place you really want to be in.  Consider other options.  Let your feelings about the situation tell you whether, even though you're now in the midstream, you ought to swim back to shore while there's still time.

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