I’m Not a Quitter. But Maybe I Should’ve Been.
I have been podcasting on and off for about 11 years already. During that time, I’ve spoken to hundreds of people — each of them for about an hour. Smart people. Cool people. Creative people. People with unusual and impressive stories.
But none of them was able to answer one of the questions I kept asking myself — and later, asked them too.
And the question was:
How do you know if it’s time to give up or if you should keep pushing harder instead?
Maybe it’s because there is no answer to that.
Maybe there’s no way to know.
Maybe you’ll look back and have the answer in retrospect… and that will lead to regret — or, on the contrary, the satisfaction that you made the right choice.
But it seems like there’s no checklist, book, framework, or TED Talk that will help you figure it out while you’re still on the journey.
And if that’s the case and if you’re an overthinker like me then chances are high that at 2AM, you’ll be asking yourself:
“Am I being resilient? Or just stubborn?”
How do you know which it is?
On one side…
We’ve been taught that quitting is a weakness.
That the great ones kept pushing, even when no one believed.
That if you want it badly enough, you’ll eventually find a way.
And maybe that’s true.
On the other side…
Sometimes it’s just not working.
And no matter how hard you push, it won’t budge.
Sometimes the more you force it, the more it drains you…
So you start thinking, “Maybe it’s not meant to be…”
And maybe that’s true too.
I used to be proud of the fact that I wasn’t a quitter.
But that’s not always a good thing.
Sometimes that makes you cling to things you’d be better off letting go.
Sometimes ditching is actually a win.
And being able to do that is a strength, not a weakness.
I’ve been in both places.
I’ve chosen big goals and dreams and didn’t give up for years.
I didn’t stop when people thought it was impossible, or told me it was time to quit, or said I was obsessed.
I didn’t give up and those things became my reality now.
But there were also many cases where I stayed too long - in relationships, in jobs…
Wasted time and energy trying to breathe life into something that was unrecoverable.
Held on when I should’ve walked away.
So if there’s no clear way to know… how do I choose?
I rely on my gut feeling mostly. But based on experience, I’ve found a few things that help me hear that feeling better:
If you’re staying because of guilt — it’s probably time to go. Guilt is never the right motivator. It’s more connected to traps and cages than dreams and freedom.
If you’re still pushing, but the joy is gone — and has been gone for a while — maybe it’s no longer worth fighting for.
Sometimes what keeps you from walking away is the sunk cost. But you’ve already paid. So maybe you should just let it go.
But maybe your gut keeps whispering that although it’s hard it still matters.
Or maybe, deep down, you know that if you quit now, you’ll always wonder what if… and that thought would haunt you for years.
Even if you have no proof you just know that if you quit, you’ll regret it.
In that case that’s worth staying for.
Sometimes we walk away too early.
Other times, we stay because we’re afraid to admit it’s time to move on.
Neither is easy.
Both take courage.
So maybe it’s not one decision. Maybe it’s an ongoing process.
Maybe it’s about learning how to listen to that sixth sense at all times.
Because the answer is probably not in the spreadsheet, or in the facts, or in other people’s opinions or their belief in you (or lack of it).
It’s in your body.
It’s in your soul.
In the tension you carry when you keep doing what you think is the right thing…
Or in the way the weight lifts off your shoulders when you imagine letting go.
There’s no shame in staying.
And there’s no shame in leaving.
Both can be right.
Just not at the same time.
And only YOU will know which one it is.
Eventually…
Alright, that was all for now Rebel.
By the way… only a few know where the Rebel Speakeasy is. And now you’re one of them—grab a drink and let’s talk. We meet every Wednesday in live audio spaces on X.
Hope to see you there!
- Ani & Rick
RebelSpeakeasy.com by Ani • Rick
Find us on X @NFTrebels & @unl0c7