For 63 weeks straight I put out a new episode of What Happens In Between podcast, and the only reason that was possible is because I allowed myself to quit. 

I’m working on a video series discussing how I plan for the new year in a way that has consistently helped me reach my goals for the past 5 years. As I was scripting, I got to one of my favorite tools and I just had to share it with you ASAP! 

When I first talked about this in 2021, it was kind of controversial, but I think folks are available for this now: 

Plan To Quit

Specifically, decide your conditions for quitting and work them into the plan you make for the year. 

Resistance is an unavoidable part of achieving a meaningful goal. There will be days where you’re emotionally overwhelmed, you’re physically spent, or you simply don’t feel like doing the damn thing. It’s in precisely those moments that you need to have precommitted to very specific circumstances that would lead you to quit. 

You can think of it as a contract. 

Why This Matters

The psychological difference between a strategic pivot and giving up is huge!

If you see yourself as someone who gives up too easily, you might lose your internal sense of self trust. People with low self trust tend to sabotage their own plans to confirm that self perception. 

If you’re rooting against you, everything is going to become way harder than it has to be. 

But obviously, we are living creatures with fluid agendas and attention. It’s natural to have changing priorities and lose interest in the goals you set X months ago – or just to realize that what you really wanted isn’t actually at the end of the path you’re currently on.

Pre-committing to your conditions to quit creates flexibility so you can pivot when you want to, but also helps you keep promises to yourself. 

How To Quit Well

There are 3 simple concepts to keep in mind when planning to quit: 

1. Quit the methodology not the mission: More often than not, what needs to be changed is the HOW you’re doing the thing, not necessarily what you are trying to achieve. WIth What Happens In Between, I loved the work I was creating, but I could not sustain the pace that I initially committed to. So I transitioned the show from weekly to seasonal, which allows me to fulfill the desire without burning out. 
2. Quit based on data: Create an experiment with a specific timeline for when you will review the impact of the tactics you used, the outcomes you produced, and how you felt during the process. And yes, feelings are data by the way! If you got huge external results, but developed or amplified anxiety throughout the experiment, something needs to change. 
3. Quit without guilt: The goal of quit conditions is to allow yourself the space to stop pursuing a goal without shame. I had a client who came to me to “stop being a flake” (her words). Time and time again, she would start a project and weeks or months would pass and it would fizzle out. The volume of unfinished projects weighed heavy on her self esteem. Yes, we co-created a solid system for her to stay consistent with goals. However, I still think the most valuable thing I offered her was a gentler perspective on quitting. Choosing to let go of a project is neutral, it’s the stories that build around that choice we have to manage. Once you know that you’ve given a project a fair attempt, you can release it without beating yourself up. 

Basically, everything I just shared is built to help your logical brain and your emotional self be in harmony. 

Deciding what conditions will make you quit a project is one the most overlooked, but fruitful tools you can implement.