When Quitting Is the Power Move (Yes, Really)
You know those motivational posters that scream “Never Quit!” with a picture of someone climbing a mountain at sunrise?
Look, I love a good sunrise, but sometimes the real flex is turning around, walking back to the lodge, and ordering waffles.
From a sports psychologist’s perspective, quitting isn’t weakness—it’s a performance strategy. Champions don’t cling to things that drain their potential. They pivot. They choose wisely. And honestly? So should the rest of us.
Below is your guide to understanding when quitting is not only okay… but exactly what a mentally strong, self-aware human should do.
Why Quitting Gets a Bad Reputation
Somewhere in childhood we were taught:
Winners never quit
Quitters never win
If you stop doing soccer, your parents will be “disappointed” (they won’t, it's just that they already paid for the cleats)
This moral panic around quitting keeps people stuck in:
the wrong jobs
the wrong relationships
the wrong habits
the wrong eating pattern (give up whatever “diet” you're on, pleeaasse.)
But in performance psychology, quitting isn’t a character flaw—it’s an evaluation tool. It’s what separates deliberate effort from wasted effort.
When Quitting Is the Healthy, High-Performance Choice
1. When the goal is no longer your goal
Athletes reassess constantly. If the goal you’re chasing belongs to a past version of you (or to your mom, your ego, or society), quitting it opens the door to aligned goals.
2. When the cost outweighs the growth
If something drains your mental, emotional, or physical resources more than it contributes to your development, that’s not grit—that’s martyrdom.
3. When staying is harming you
And here’s where quitting becomes heroic:
quitting alcohol
quitting drugs
quitting the relationship you know is going nowhere with a person who doesn’t get you
quitting the job that gives you stress hives
These are not failures—they’re upgrades.
4. When letting go creates more space for what matters
High performers understand a simple truth: You can’t add without subtracting.
Quitting creates space:
for sleep
for passions
for clarity
for that hobby you swore you’d start (no rush)
So… How Do You Quit the Right Way?
1. Check your why
Quit because you’re choosing better—not because you’re avoiding discomfort.
2. Consider the long-game
Future You is very wise. Ask them what they want.
3. Replace the habit, don’t just remove it
Humans don’t do well with “nothing.”
Quit smoking → start walking
Quit the toxic relationship → start therapy
Quit doom-scrolling → scroll a little less doomy (we’ll take the wins we can get)
4. Get support
Therapists, coaches, friends—yes, even that one friend who swears they’re “not emotional”—can help you navigate the transition.
The Bottom Line
Quitting is not the opposite of commitment.
Quitting is the opposite of self-betrayal.
Strong, driven people don’t cling to things that slow them down. They make bold choices. They pivot. They quit—strategically, gracefully, intentionally.
So if you’re thinking of quitting something that’s not good for you, you might just be on the brink of your next big breakthrough.