We think when we quit something that we've made a decision. We don't see that when we stick with something we're also making a decision. Continuing on our current path doesn't seem like a decision but it really is. This plays into something called what's called omission commission bias. It's actually built into the law right like you're gonna get in a lot more trouble for actually actively committing a crime than you would be for failing to prevent it. And by the way I just want to say one thing: When somebody says to you I'm not ready to decide yet you shouldn't even accept that isn't it?
What if becoming a better quitter was something to aspire to?
Annie Duke thinks it is. She’s a national science foundation fellowship winner and bestselling author who’s used her background in psychology to become a successful poker player and business advisor. Lately, she’s spent time studying the power of quitting, a tool she argues is as important as grit, resilience, and sticking it out.
The science shows we’re not great at it. We don’t fire quickly enough. We don’t quit soon enough. We don’t end relationships early enough. Why? Well, identity and goals play a role. Along with many of the messages our culture sends that err more on the side of stick it out than on the side of quit and try something else.
Annie’s compelling book on the topic is titled, Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away. It’ll help you see how sticking with something that’s not working is just as much a decision as quitting. You’ll begin to view quitting as an important tool to add to your decision-making toolkit, especially when you understand better when to use it.
Episode Links
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
To Change, or Not to Change? Just Flip a Coin
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
The Team
Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.
Support the Podcast
If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show.
Subscribe
Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.