“Keep what works, quit what doesn’t.”
It’s advice we’ve all heard at some point.
At first, it sounds perfectly logical. I followed it for a while myself-cutting out what seemed pointless, doubling down on what brought results.
But then I hit a wall.
How do you actually know when something isn’t working?
Maybe you’re just one step away from a breakthrough.
Or maybe you’re wasting time on something that will never pay off.
That moment of doubt-should I quit, or should I keep going?-is something everyone faces.
Here’s the hidden trap:
If you misjudge the situation, you risk walking away from something just before it succeeds, or wasting time on something that’s truly a dead end.
I’ve fallen into this trap more than once.
But after adopting a new perspective, I found that
- My decisions became faster
- Regret became less frequent
- Unexpected results started to appear
In the next section, I’ll share:
- How to think clearly when you’re stuck between quitting and continuing
- How to tell when it’s really time to quit
Table of Contents
Understanding What “Not Working” Really Means
First, quitting too soon can be dangerous.
There are actually two types of “not working”:
- The approach is wrong, but the goal is right
- The goal itself is wrong for you
Most people give up because their method isn’t working, not because the goal is impossible.
Others keep trying new methods endlessly, not realizing the goal itself isn’t worth pursuing.
To figure out which is which, you need to run small experiments.
The Power of Experimentation
Instead of asking, “Should I quit or continue?” ask, “How can I experiment next?”
For example:
- Change just one aspect of your approach
- Set a short time frame for a new method
- Copy someone else’s strategy for a while
By stacking up these small experiments, you start to see whether the problem is with your method or your direction.
When Is It Really Time to Quit?
Sometimes, even after lots of experiments, nothing works.
Here’s what I do:
- List out all the experiments I’ve tried
- If I honestly feel no excitement or growth, even after all those attempts, I give myself permission to quit
If you’ve truly experimented and learned, quitting isn’t failure-it’s a smart move.
Conclusion
“Keep what works, quit what doesn’t” sounds simple, but the real secret is this:
Before you quit, keep experimenting.
When you’re stuck, change your approach, shift your perspective, and keep testing.
You might be just one experiment away from a breakthrough.
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