You might think that quitting something — whether it's a job or just a personal self-improvement activity — is intrinsically a negative thing to do. However, there is some evidence that people who are willing to quit activities that they no longer want to spend time on are actually more successful in their careers.
According to career adviser Penelope Trunk, kids who quit activities they no longer enjoy actually have a better chance of career success than those who stick it out. On her blog, she gives some key reasons why kids who quit go on to be more successful and argues that parents should not stand in the way of their children quitting activities they don't want to do.
Quitting activities allows children to discover what they truly enjoy doing. Many adults continuously struggle with trying to figure out what they want, which is why it's important to encourage kids to make these kinds of judgements during childhood. Children don't have many opportunities to stop doing things they don't like. For example, they have to go to school and study every subject, even those that don't interest them. Giving children the option of quitting activities they don't enjoy outside of school helps them to develop their own personal ideas about what's fun and enjoyable. It also helps to cut down on any moaning, as children know that they are taking part in activities because they want to and not because of an externally imposed obligation.
Quitting can be part of the process of succeeding. As an adult, it's easy to get stuck in a career rut because you are too afraid to take the risk of quitting a dead-end job or a training program that isn't right for you. Startup founders also need to know when to give up on a business that clearly isn't going to succeed. Knowing when to quit means that you can move onto new projects or goals.
Quitting also allows children to learn more about themselves. As a species, humans generally don't determine what makes them happy in advance. Humans tend to explore many different options and then quit engaging in those that don't result in increased happiness. Many people find it difficult to admit that they made a mistake by signing up for the things they now want to quit, which can cause them to waste valuable time. By discouraging their children from quitting activities, parents teach them to stand by bad decisions, which could be a disastrous mindset once they enter the workforce.
Quitting activities that are not enjoyable is not always a bad choice, especially if your goal is to advance your career. Embracing the idea that quitting is not always bad should start during childhood. Parents can help their children save time and achieve personal and career success in the future by encouraging them to quit engaging in recreational or optional educational activities they simply don't enjoy.
Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.
Register or sign in today!