Quitters Never Win … Or Do They?

In the wake of the Olympics, it’s natural to think about our goals. Are we striving for enough?

 

Olympic athletes set quite a standard, against which so many of us fall short:

• Always go for the Gold.
• Never give up.
• Beat the unbeatable odds.

 

These sound good, but perhaps they aren’t always the best mottos. There was a thought-provoking article by Alina Tugend in the New York Times that discussed the destructive power of always reaching for unattainable goals. The key, it appears, may not be to never quit, but to pick the right time to quit, do it for the right reasons, and do it the right way.

 

For example, in a career search, you shouldn’t give up on your career goal just because it’s hard – if it were easy, it wouldn’t be a worthwhile goal! Pursue what you REALLY want ALL OUT, pushing hard to achieve your dream job. If you are offered something else along the way, carefully evaluate whether it’s the right move FOR NOW, perhaps a good next step to position you for that next career move.

 

So when is the right time to quit?

 

If the search isn’t going well, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time to give up. Look over every part of your search strategy, and see if there are pieces that could be substantially improved. Talk to friends and trusted advisors (maybe even a career coach!) to explore what you could do differently. Find out if they see you as a fit for the role you are seeking, if you go about it the right way.

 

Create a feedback loop within your network. Do your best to ‘market’ yourself and gauge the reactions you get. Explore why you were or weren’t convincing, and see what you can do to improve.

 

Especially examine what’s going on inside your own head. Are you really feeling as passionate about the role as you are attempting to present yourself? If not, why not? Your own internal reactions may be one of the most important indicators as to whether you are pursuing the right goal.

 

If you are consistently getting leads, and finding that networking contacts believe in your ability to do the job you’ve set out for yourself, then it probably is the wrong time to quit. If it’s a funding issue, you might have to take a career sidestep or an interim job, or a part-time job to support your search, but you shouldn’t give up on your dream.

 

On the other hand, if after you’ve done everything you can think of to improve your approach, and are still getting blank stares from people about your fit, consistently getting feedback that it’s the wrong goal, regularly hitting a brick wall in your search, or perhaps most importantly, are no longer excited about your goal, then it may be a good time to quit.

 

Another good time is when you’ve discovered (from consistent, credible feedback) that you must have a particular degree or certification or type of experience, and the “dues” are just more than you are willing to invest.

 

If it really is the right time to quit, then go about it the right way. Don’t beat yourself up for time you “wasted” pursuing it, as you will have learned a lot during your exploration about yourself, your goals, and how to (and how not to) market yourself, all of which will be valuable in the future.

 

You haven’t quit because your goal beat you, you’ve done so because you thoroughly explored it, really tried hard to make it happen, and concluded that it’s not to be. Actively decide to move on, and find another goal you can get excited about.

 

This is healthy. The article quoted Kathleen Vohs, a Professor of Marketing at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, “If you are pursuing a goal that is constantly frustrating, you will be less successful in goal attainment in other areas of life.”

 

Further, a study cited from the September issue of the journal Psychological Science found that teenagers who could not renounce hard-to-attain goals showed increased levels of a molecule linked to heart disease and other health problems.

 

By quitting at the right time, you get a chance to model the sort of person you are to your family, friends and business acquaintances. No one will fault you for going all out to achieve a goal, and deciding ultimately to go in another direction. In fact, you are likely to earn their respect both for having worked hard on something, and for being realistic and courageous enough to move on for the right reasons. That isn’t a quitter, that’s someone who knows what they want!

 

Are You A Career Search Role Model?

 

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