74: When and How to Quit with Dr. Stan Robertson

“Winners never quit and quitters never win.” Oh yah? Says who?  Dr. Stan Robertson is an author, coach and speaker, and has come to be known as “the quit doctor” because of his relentless determination to heal the world of the stigma and shame associated with the concept of quitting. Dr. Stan and I talk about why quitting has a bad rap, when to quit and when not to, and how to quit successfully because quitting can be surprisingly difficult.   Read the related blog article: Time to Stop: Quitting Can Lead to Greater Success   Join the Modern Manager community (www.mamieks.com/join) to get a discount on Dr. Stan’s book Quit: The Last Principle of Success.  Get access to dozens of other guest bonuses and episode guides when you join.   If you work for a nonprofit or government agency, email me at [email protected] for 20% off any membership level.   Subscribe to my newsletter to get episodes, articles and mini-guides delivered to your inbox.    KEY TAKEAWAYS: American culture reinforces the idea that quitting is for losers, creating negative connotations and emotional baggage around quitting. Our brains are hardwired for completion. Research shows that when we stop before something is done, we have a hard time letting it go. We continue to spend mental energy on the unfinished task. There are times when quitting is the right thing to do: (1) you’re overly focused on being right and therefore not making room for others, (2) you’re ignoring bad news, (3) you’re not getting the expected ROI, (4) your priorities have changed. There are times when persevering is the right thing to do: (1) you’re feeling undervalued, (2) the work is challenging, (3) you’re frustrated by someone else’s success. The key is to know when to stop and redirect your efforts compared to when to keep going and build your competency. To help you quit, follow this acronym: Q = quit quickly. It’s better to identify early when things aren’t working so you can save time and energy for more optimal work. U = understand associated negative emotions. Know that you’re likely to feel uncomfortable about quitting, and that’s OK. Recognize the feelings and let them go. I = initiate a new behavior. Quitting is easier when you’ve replaced the old behavior, strategy or goal with a new one that you can focus on. Through the process of identifying the new, you’ll feel less loss for the old. T = transform your behavior. Make the new behavior, goal or strategy stick by making any additional changes to your environment, skill set,