The C.A.T. Principle – Global Ebook Awards GOLD & SILVER Winner for Best Self-Help Non-Fiction Ebook of 2014 & 2016

Not All Quitting Is Created Equal…

Not All Quitting Is Created Equal...

Illustration by © Nilikha | Dreamstime.com

Not All Quitting Is Created Equal…

Don’t quit! Keep on going! See it through! Words often heard, especially when we encounter hardship, whether it be in our careers, our business, or our personal relationships. Quitting is synonymous with surrender, and when one surrenders, one loses, and no one likes a loser.

Quitting is definitely not a habit to be made. It’s a loathing trait when at the first sign of resistance, we see someone quit and call it a day. Great deeds aren’t achieved by quitters, but by those who have the wherewithal to carry on in spite of overwhelming odds (see Fortitude and the Wherewithal to carry on…). These are the people we admire, these are the people we seek to emulate, and so we should.

There’s more to quitting, than meets the eye though. Not all quitting is created equal. There is quitting on a ‘macro’ level and there is quitting on a ‘micro’ level. The difference is decisive; the former is detrimental, the latter can be helpful.

Let’s say we start a business. It can be any business, it doesn’t matter. Let’s say we do everything in our capacity to make this business work. We plan, we borrow, we toil, we slave, we obsess, but somehow, it’s doesn’t happen. Time passes, debts accumulate, stress and worry mount. We study, we examine, but no matter what, business falters. The breaking point arrives, and we determine it’s not worth our effort any more. In other words, we quit.

This is quitting on a ‘micro’ level. We quit this particular business, but don’t necessarily quit all business. The experience gained, used wisely, may help us with our next endeavor. Failure is only failure, when no lessons are drawn. Put to use lessons we learn towards our next venture, and our quitting the previous one becomes a stepping stone to success.

The challenge is remaining positive in the darkness of defeat. It’s easy to fall prey to cynicism and a negative mindset. We become ‘jaded’ and think any business attempt will lead to failure – why bother we ask? So we give up on all business, and therewith become the most detrimental kind of quitter: a quitter on a ‘macro’ level.

The ‘macro’ level quitter can be spotted a mile away. Whether they’re talking career, business, or personal relationships, they’re prone to generalization. “The system is rigged.” “Everyone is against me.” “All women/men are the same.” These are the words of a ‘macro’ level quitter. They blame everything and everyone. Instead of seeking lessons, they seek scapegoats. Instead of looking inward, they look outward. These are the true quitters.

To live is to experience failure. We will not succeed at everything we do. If we did, victory would be meaningless. There will be stunted careers, there will be failed businesses, and there will be broken relationships. It’s not whether or not these transpire, because they will, but it’s how we navigate them when they do.

Will we be a ‘micro’ level quitter, lick our wounds, learn our lessons, and be ready for the next curve ball? Or will we be a ‘macro’ level quitter, take our bat, head to the stands, and watch everyone else play?

The choice is ours and ours alone…

For more check out The C.A.T. Principle: Change, Action, Trust – Words to Live By, a 2014 Global Ebook Awards GOLD First Place Winner for Best Non-Fiction Self-Help Ebook, available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Sign up above and start receiving this blog to your inbox every two weeks. Comments and thoughts welcome.

The C.A.T. Principle Book

A 2014 Global Ebook Awards GOLD Winner for Best Non-fiction Self-help Ebook.

A 2014 Global Ebook Awards GOLD Winner for Best Non-fiction Self-help Ebook.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

%d bloggers like this: