Keep checking out of motels that offer the rush of one night thrills, no more – till you check-in to the castle of your aspirations.
They say quitting is the easiest thing to do. What most are not aware of, is that it can also be the smartest. They say quitting is the resort of a weak mind. What most don’t realize, is that only the strong of heart can attempt it.
“Quitting is leading too”, said Nelson Mandela. The great South African leader knew the secret power of quitting. After all, the man was a ‘serial quitter’. He quit on the status-quo by deciding to take the bull of apartheid by the horns. He quit on fear by taking the establishment head-on. He quit on excuses by leading from the front.
But why chase famous examples? Ask the mirror.
If you don’t quit the wrong road, how will you get on the right highway? How long will you keep fighting battles not worth your time and effort? How many more heartbreaks till you say ‘enough’?
The beauty of life is that it gives you choices. It gives you the privilege to decide your fate. When you stubbornly refuse to read the situation and pull out of your current pursuits (if that’s what the doctor recommends, that is), when you adamantly refuse to catch the rope of hope that destiny has thrown your way, you deny yourself that basic right. In short, you quit – on life.
Quitting is the ancient survivor’s instinct, the all-important Wake-Up call, that goes off inside every human when he or she is close to tipping over the edge. It is nature shouting at you at the top of her lungs – her way of telling you to stop. To catch your breath. And start all over again. This time, to do the things right.
Turns out, not everyone is listening.
Life’s too short to keep doing things that don’t resonate with your soul. It’s too precious to squander away chasing goals you don’t cherish. So this time, surprise your soul pleasantly: Say NO. To your own self, more than anything else. Then stand back, and watch the magic happen.
Amitabh Bachchan said NO to his sales career, so that he could pursue his dream of acting full time. Walt Disney said NO to his career as a newspaper editor and so that he could start up his passion: An entertainment company. Stephen King said NO to his gig as a janitor to go with his first love: writing. Colonel Sanders (before he turned into everybody’s favourite Colonel, of course) said NO to odd jobs like gas station operator and railroad worker because all he wanted to do is open his own fried chicken chain.
They all started by quitting. And ended up legends.
Growth begins when you muster the courage to stop. After all, every idea, every obsession, every project in life, comes with an expiry date. The wise identify it, accept it, and when the moment arrives, let go.
It’s the only way to move on to your next flame. In fact, it’s the only way to keep moving.
Yes, saying NO can lead to miracles. And no matter how imperative, this can be a tricky habit – skill, actually – to pick up. After all, most people have spent a major chunk of their lives in the cushy comfort zone of conformity, where life is easy. Where one is used to defending and deluding one’s self by saying, ‘Let’s not rock the boat. Not just yet’.
Quitting is therefore a vital growth skill one must consciously practice. It is an art of winning that one must actively master. Else, it will remain elusive.
In fact, it’s not quitting in the sense one understands the term. Look at it this way: Putting your foot down is your chance to pause rush hour and make sense of the madness breaking out all around you. It’s your chance to figure out where your priorities really lie. It’s your opportunity to quit the losing camp, and switch over to the champion side.
In a world that’s constantly bombarding you with a billion distractions, the good sense to quit is what helps you retain your sanity and perspective (when everybody around is losing theirs). The audacity to say NO is what keeps your spirit emotionally detached from your environment, a crucial pre-requisite for decision making. The power to stop in your tracks is what makes you fluid and free to say YES to what you truly desire.
Quitting the job or vocation you hate and following your life’s true calling (like starting up the business you’ve been postponing all along), is fulfilment. Quitting toxic influences and relationships and embracing the company of minds that nourish and inspire, is ecstasy. Quitting negative emotions like bitterness, jealousy and greed and embracing the positive vibes of empathy, generosity and gratitude, is happiness. Quitting getting drenched when it’s raining and soaring above the clouds instead – like an eagle – is accomplishment. Quitting the temptation to make excuses and showing up on the battleground, is progress. Quitting the fear of rejection, hurt and failure and summoning the guts to stand up for what you believe in, is success.
Add them all together, and they spell g-r-o-w-t-h.
So keep checking-out of motels that offer the rush of one night thrills, no more. Till you check-in to the shining castle of your aspirations.
Quit. So that you can win.
