
Why we quit (and why we shouldn’t (but sometimes we should))
I barely feel qualified to write this because I am constantly in throes of wanting to quit myself. A year-and-a-half into running WeContent and problems seem to be getting bigger as we grow. I’ve been on the verge of quitting dozens of times, once going as far as sending out “Seeking employment” emails to people in my network (ironically, this led to a new client and partnership opportunity that changed my mind).
But maybe I’m qualified to write this post for these very reasons. I’ve been thinking a lot about why we quit things and whether or not it’s a good idea.
Why we quit
When it comes to running a business, there are three reasons why we quit:
- It’s not working
- We don’t like what we’re doing
- It’s hard
Obviously there are unique cases, but I think most reasons boil down to one of these three.
Let’s dig into these a bit.
It’s not working
When people say, “you need to know when to quit,” they mean you need to recognize when something really isn’t working. I believe Eric Ries calls businesses that continue beyond their natural lifespan, “zombies”. This is a good reason to quit, and if you realize you’re in this situation, look to pivot.
You don’t like what you’re doing
Our interests change. Businesses morph into things we don’t want them to be. You misjudged what you were looking for and the startup life isn’t for you. That’s fair.
No one should be miserable. If you despise your day-to-day work, then maybe it’s time to quit and find a new path.
It’s hard
I have no data to back this up, but I’m certain that 95% of the time, we quit something because is just hard, even if the idea is solid and we love the work.
Is quitting something hard a bad thing? Not necessarily. After all, from an evolutionary standpoint, our bodies are opposed to hard things. We want to exert as little effort as possible to survive.
There are much easier ways to make money besides entrepreneurship. If your goals include financial security and a thriving home/social life, then starting a business is not the best path. Frankly, it’s too hard, and that’s ok.
However, millions of people are drawn to entrepreneurship, but the vast majority fail. It’s not because their idea didn’t work or they didn’t like what they were doing, but because when it got hard, they gave into their evolutionary instinct to find a safer, easier path. Despite their desire and aptitude, they quit.
The sneaky thing about hard things is that they disguise themselves. When we’re in the middle of a rough patch, our minds fill with doubt and start to wander. We say, “This idea isn’t working anyway,” or, “This lifestyle isn’t for me.” We want to attribute our quitting to one of the first two reasons because they are easier to swallow. No one is going to be disappointed in you “following your dream” or getting pushed out of the market. You tried, you’re growing, you’re on to the next thing.
But in reality, we quit before ever learning if we truly love something and if our idea is viable.
How to know when to quit
The number of people who quit is a tragedy to me, because we will never know what impact a person or idea could have had on the world. How much progress could we make if we all saw our best ideas through?
For this reason, I think it’s critical we all learn to decipher our desires to quit. If we can find the root cause, we can make a smarter decision about quitting or carrying on.
- Does your idea/business have legs? We need to start by eliminating the legitimate reasons to quit. First, determine if your idea is really working. If being objective is hard, ask customers and trusted peers/mentors.
- Do you like what you’re doing? What drew you to your business idea in the first place? Often, startups are rooted in a passion for something. I know from experience that this passion can get lost in the daily grind, but just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not still there. Most likely, it is. Audit your days to determine if there are certain tasks you still enjoy doing. If there are, then there’s a good chance you still like the work. Figure out ways to off-board those tasks you hate/aren’t good at and get back to the things you love.
- Is it unhealthy? There comes a time when the challenges of entrepreneurship become bad for us, either mentally, physically, financially, or interpersonally (sometimes, all of the above). If your work is the direct cause of unhealthy behavior, it is really important to make changes. Normally, that doesn’t mean quitting, but simply change up your routine or cutting out unhealthy habits. Ask for help from experienced entrepreneurs on how they balanced their lives, and seek professional help if needed.
The final excuse
If you go through this list and rule them all out as legitimate reasons for quitting, it’s time to face the final excuse: It’s just you. You’re letting the challenge get to you. You’re scared, your body hates you for putting it through this stress, you’re letting other people’s opinions influence you.
I’m sorry to say that there is no way to get rid of these symptoms, but they are absolutely not reasons to quit. Like exercise or learning an instrument, you only make progress when you push yourself beyond your limits.
My go-to excuse when things get hard is this: I should get a job and “learn on someone else’s dime”. I tell myself I can start a new company in the future, and somehow it will be easier.
But entrepreneurship — the pursuit of opportunity beyond resources currently controlled — is hard and will always be hard, especially if you step out of the arena. It doesn’t get any easier, but you do get better results.
If you can decipher your reasons for quitting and determine that it’s just hard, I implore you to keep going. Figure out how to keep yourself productive and your mind focused. For me, it’s a combination of morning/nightly routines, meditation, exercise, and plenty of sleep.
And if you ever receive a “Seeking employment” email from me, please send me an angry reply and tell me to get my ass back to work. Let me know and I’ll happily do the same for you.
