When it comes to quitting, many people give up too easily. At the first sign of struggle or discomfort they tap out for an easier path. This can lead to quitting as a behavior pattern and stunt personal growth. Life isn’t always easy, and sometimes you’ve got to sacrifice and do hard work to get what matters most, but how do you know you are quitting too easily? Here are some important signs:
- Change triggers fear
- You shut down when you aren’t sure what to do next
- You haven’t identified the real problem
Change scares you rather than exhilarates your senses
Some people do not like change, while others crave it. From new technology, to learning how to play an instrument, some people become fearful when they try something new. Fear is natural human experience designed to keep us safe. Early man used fear to keep them from being eaten by predators, but fear isn’t always a life-or-death warning signal. Sometimes it’s an artificial reaction to an otherwise benign issue. Sometimes fear is tied to:
- Not wanting to look foolish
- Avoiding rejection or judgement
- Worry about the unknown
When change triggers fear, our psyche wants to stop the fear and quitting is the fastest way to make fear dissipate. If you have a habit of quitting when you feel fearful trying something new, it may be a sign you’re giving up too easily.
You shut down mentally and/or physically when things are hard
Some people experience mental and physical reactions to stress and challenges. These reactions may seem to justify quitting in the name of being ‘healthy’ but they are self-imposed roadblocks to developing the perseverance to see things through. When people are learning something new or need to face an emotionally difficult situation, they may experience headaches or feel sick in some way making them quit before they discover what they need to push through.
Our minds and bodies sometimes work against us, even when we are trying to do positive things. It’s important to override our instincts to quit when things are mentally and physically tough and figure out what to do next. If you routinely bow out of commitments or tough situations because of illnesses including headaches, anxiety, or feeling sick, it could be a sign you are giving up too easily.
You quit without identifying what the real issues are
Some people quit something entirely without having tried to solve any problems first. People quit relationships or leave places of employment because they aren’t working out, but they fail to identify what the real issues are and try to make changes first. In many cases, changing something specific can make a big difference in how positive a situation is. Perhaps having a certain resource or addressing something very specific could remedy the situation.
If you bail on things rather than try to address them or discover the underlying reason you want to quit, it may be a sign you give up too easily.
Knowing when to quit isn’t always easy, but some people quit a lot. For them, it’s a natural reaction when things get hard. It’s good to become aware when quitting comes too easily so you can address it and learn to push through hard things.