“A project is finished when I am done working on it. It doesn’t have to be complete.”
–Lauren Venell, How to Maintain Confidence in a Competitive Market
(Papercut (above) by Lauren, as well)
My first thought upon reading this way: “Thank goodness I’m not the only person who thinks this.”
I’ve quit lots of things: high school indoor drumline, grad school, a promising management position, cloth diapering, numerous business ventures…
But, I’m not a quitter. I’m steadfast and committed. I stick with things I enjoy & see the potential of. I also have the capacity to stick with things that are not pleasant but have lasting value: high school, for one.
I am – however – very content to put things to rest that require more of my time than their potential value. I have no problem with throwing away an “opportunity” that makes me uncomfortable. I have no problem with scrapping a website or a design that just isn’t working. And if something I’m working on doesn’t make a difference in someone’s life? Yeah, I quit that too.
I’m the kind of quitter that finds success in the process of quitting. I learn something each time I quit. Instead of seeing my decision as quitting a project, I see that the project – whether a craft project, a piece of music, a blog post, a business venture… – is finished. It’s finished because I’m finished with it. I find value in what I have accomplished on the project even if it was very little. It may not be completed, the initial goal may not have been met, but the project is no longer valuable, educational, or entertaining to me.
Deciding to quit – to be finished – to move on, is a liberating decision that can open you to all sorts of new creative avenues.
For this week’s We Scout Wednesday, post about a time you quit a project or situation and what you learned in quitting. To participate, post on the topic in whatever way or interpretation you like. In your post, link back to this post on Scoutie Girl (url: http://www.scoutiegirl.com/2010/06/you-are-not-a-quitter.html). Then come back here and leave the url of your post in the Mister Linky widget below. Your link will automatically be added to the list.
Check out other participants to see the conversation unfold!
Tara Gentile is a business coach and blogger serving passion-driven entrepreneurs with fresh ideas about 
I wouldn’t usually do this – link to an old post in response to a prompt – but it fits your topic today so well [and it *is* only from 2 weeks ago] …. and it’s something I really wanted to share with as many people who I could reach with it. So I’ve linked to it in the linky box and will edit my original post to add in a link back to you.
no problem – that’s great, julie! glad this topic has been on your mind too
can’t wait to read!
“A project is finished when I am done working on it.”
That is sooo freeing. I feel like I need to write that on a post-it and stick on my computer!
right?! we try to make ourselves martyrs to projects we have no business “completing.” just finish it already!
Hi! I just discovered this amazing blog, and I had to jump right in on this topic! Keep up the great work, Tara!
quitting can be very liberating, indeed! it’s so great to hear this. xo!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by stephaniecorfee. stephaniecorfee said: RT @scoutiegirlblog we scout wednesday is back! you are not a quitter: http://bit.ly/dCfdnn [...]
[...] tara, for your we scout wednesdays: you are not a quitter. sometimes we have to just give ourselves permission to quit. i just recently shared this post on [...]
thanks for the great post tara! i shared a recent experience i had where quitting felt like a failure for me and how i moved past it.
I enjoyed this. I was planning on writing about some of this anyway, so it was good to get started and very reaffirming to define my direction. I’m beginning to think we really can’t do that too often as people in general and as creative idea chasers in specific. The more we chase what we really want, the more we have to let go of, or quit other things. Even good ones. Good can be the enemy of the best, right? I think our culture is full of that. We have -so much- good we need to quit in order to really do/be/have the best.
I had years of guilt because I quit something…but now, reading this post, it is gone! I am able to say I quit because I was done with it and I knew I was not going in the right direction for my life. I enjoyed writing about quitting and because of you Tara and this post….I am going to quit a hell of a lot more in my life because I can. Thanks for being awesome!!
Having read both, if you have time you should read Julie’s, number 1, above.
[...] meaning to write about the joys of quitting for a while, but was inspired into action after reading this post by (another) [...]
I had my palm read a few years ago at someone’s birthday party. This is something I wouldn’t think of doing, having my palm read. But there was one thing he said to me that I really stuck to: Follow your gut. And don’t feel bad, regretful, guilty about it. If you don’t want to do something, don’t do it. If you are doing something and not having a good time, leave. If you don’t like something, sell it or give it away. You have a small amount of time on this earth and at this point in my life, I’ve learned that following my gut has really cut through the white noise. Sometimes my family doesn’t agree with me, but it’s my gut, and if it’s telling me, “ugh! move on, change the scene, or quit what’s making you feel unhappy, uncomfortable, uneasy. Just do it!” I do it. I’ve learned not to regret anything. It’s all the many learning lessons we gain from it called life.
[...] posed a very interesting question. Here is my [...]
Thank you so much for this great question. It really made me think. By thinking and dealing with the emotions that quitting brings, it has helped me to have a clearer mind about life and the path that I am heading down.
If you can see that your current path will be hitting a big brick wall, the smart thing to do would be to quit going down that path and take the next exit!
Tara,
Well, I have temporarily (or maybe forever) quit blogging at The Mogul Mom – because my 3yo son needs my attention right now, because my 2 daughters want to spend more time with me, because I’m questioning the impact my blogging has on my particular audience and because frankly, I’m tired.
I know this isn’t the end of blogging for me – but rather, the start of a new journey. I can’t see the road right now and I doubt it’s even paved…but it’s waiting for me.
Thanks for helping me see quitting as a good thing.
Heather
Thanks for this post. It came just at the right time in my life where I’m getting rid of a lot of unfinished (as well as finished) projects that for some reason I don’t want to make space nor time for.
[...] from Scoutigirl blog has this series: we scout wednesday. Each week she explores a question, an attitude or something that is less discussed. This Wednesday [...]
I’m late to the party, but hope it’s still okay to play. Loved this post so I had to chime in with my own. Thanks for the idea, Tara!
Another excellent post Tara!
Thanks for making me think!
Love the we scout Wednesdays! I wish you did them every Wednesday lol! I just posted my blog post, This was a great topic.