Last week, I wrote about the Quitting Framework by Steven Bartlett, commenting on both the simplicity of the framework and a thought-provoking statement: “Quitting is for winners.” The essence is that strategic, well-considered quitting can improve your life, especially when hardships aren’t leading you toward your goals.

While writing about the value of strategic quitting, I focused on the sense of failure often associated with it. When you quit a project, part of you might question whether you simply weren’t up to the task—even if you had valid reasons to stop.

In the comments¹, I was reminded of an important insight: even when you quit something, part of it may still be valuable for a future endeavor. I believe this touches on another challenge that makes quitting difficult—the effort you’ve already invested.

After all, we often feel that the energy we’ve invested in a project should lead to a tangible result—something that made all of it worth your time. This mindset reflects the sunk cost fallacy, where we fear that walking away means all your time and energy is wasted.

But here’s a different perspective: your energy is not lost.

The skills, knowledge, and resilience you developed while working on that project stay with you. They don’t vanish the moment you decide to quit. Those hours you spent learning, creating, or problem-solving are still valuable—just not in the way you initially expected. Sometimes, they lay the foundation for future endeavors that align better with your goals. The energy you invested is simply redirected into something more aligned with your growth.

And to encourage quitting once more: spending more time on a draining project only wastes more time.

Even though there’s always something to learn from an experience, that doesn’t mean it’s a meaningful way to spend your time. Not every effort is worth sustaining if it no longer serves you. When considering quitting something that no longer aligns with your goals, it’s important to remember that quitting isn’t failure—it’s an opportunity to refocus your energy on what truly matters.

In fact, as I pointed out in my previous article, realizing when to quit can be an empowering decision. By quitting what no longer serves you, you create space for something new to flourish. So the next time you face the decision of whether to keep going or quit, remind yourself: your energy is never entirely lost. There are always valuable things you’ve learned along the way. Make sure these lessons are put to good use elsewhere. 🫴🏽🌱

Banner Photo by Mike Enerio on Unsplash

1. The comment that inspired me to dive into this topic was by LuAnne Holder, she regularly posts wonderful poems on the blog Wind Rush. Definitely worth checking out if you enjoy mindful, original and thought-provoking writing :) ↩︎