Know when to quit

Summer is slowly turning into autumn. The wind, changing from west to east and back again. The sun rising, revealing a beautiful eternal loop. Change, you think, is the only constant.

And yet, sometimes, things don’t seem to be moving at all.

That feeling of doubting whether you made the right choice. Whether you are on the right track. And maybe, even, if you should consider abandoning your current path all together. Sometimes, you’re just stuck. Plain as that.

Knowing when to quit is hard.

But there is an art to it. An art that was once beautifully described by the old Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu in Tao Te Ching:

Better to stop in time than to fill to the brim.

Hone a blade to the sharpest point, and it will soon be blunt.

Fill your house with gold and jade, and no one can protect it.

Be prideful about wealth and position, and you bring disasters upon yourself. Retire when the work is done.

This is the way of heaven.

Allow me to expand on this verse a bit.

You can sharpen a blade until it cuts sharply. But sharpen it too much and it breaks. You can fill a vessel with liquid. But fill it too much and it overflows.

This reveals a simple truth. Knowing when to quit is only possible if you know what you are quitting from. After all, you know when to quit sharpening a knife, when it’s as sharp as you need it to be. And you definitely know when to stop filling a vessel, for what’s the point in making it overflow?

Purpose

Everyone has once stood at this weird crossroad where deep down, something is signalling that it is time to quit. And yet - you’re still not quite convinced. It’s like an invisible force holding you back, a missing piece of the puzzle.

• A job that no longer allows for personal growth
• A project that isn’t fulfilling your creative needs
• A career that isn’t profitable
• A relationship that doesn’t contribute to your well-being

I have definitely experienced all of the above. But I’ve come to terms with the fact that sometimes it’s better to let go in order to create room for something better.

We use blades to cut things. We use vessels to store and move things. We take on a project to make money. We choose a career because we want to grow.

Everything has a purpose. You can’t confidently quit without knowing what you are quitting from.

Uncovering purpose is one of life’s beautiful discoveries. But it requires you to be deeply honest with yourself. What are you trying to store? What is it you’re trying to sharpen? What do you want to achieve?

Coming to terms with the fact that your current path is no longer serving your purpose is painful. But disguised in this pain is an incredible opportunity to grow. With clarity on your purpose, new possibilities start to emerge.

And suddenly, quitting is less hard than it was.

Potential

Knowing when to quit is about understanding that its full potential has been realised.

It doesn’t matter if it’s your career, a relationship, a project or a plate of food... You’ll reach its maximum potential sooner or later. This potential can come too early, too late, or right on time. It can underwhelm, match or exceed your expectations.

Quitting means accepting. What you do next, is for you to decide.

As long as the seasons change. As long as the winds change direction and the sun continues to set and rise. You’ll know that things are never permanent.

Quitting is part of life. An integral part of truly fulfilling your purpose. Be content. Change your ways.

Know when to quit.