Sunday, November 21, 2010

When Is It Time to Give Up?

Persistence does not always pay – not in all endeavours. Particularly as it pertains to our innovations and vocations we’re wise when we make it a practice to occasionally reflect over whether we’re meeting our objectives or not. There’s no shame in shifting tack. None at all.

There is a big disclaimer to this general idea, however, and it concerns relationships. Where there is unhappiness at a personal level, but no abuse or neglect i.e. no overt reason, and that issue of our unhappiness is still requiring some change from us, there is no sense to giving up on the relationship, particularly if the other person will be hurt. It would be better to change by trying harder to make the relationship work.

That covered, there is a lot of wisdom in knowing when and how to decide for change.

For instance, there are some people who’ve lived all there lives bent on one idea, never remaining flexible enough in their approach to change, and these are frustrated when things don’t turn out. Their entire lives speak of disappointment.

I mean, how often don’t our ideas turn out? It happens regularly enough. It’s the default. We try a thing and it doesn’t turn out. We try again a second time... but, why try the wrong thing repetitively when we know it won’t work from the first few experiences?

Advantages of Change Outweigh the Disadvantages

All uniquely successful people in life can shift tack without much fuss.

What we have to overcome mainly is inertia. This inertia keeps us rolling forward the same way, day in and day out, through our lives. We’ve developed a habit and habits help us maintain the status quo. Habits also hinder us from changing, at least in the shorter term.

So, the successful person can more easily overcome this inertia to remain as they are, and so they become known as never too homely. Nothing is that important to them that they can’t leave it for something better. Again, as above, this is very much mainly about the material life and personal life, and not very often about the relational life, though if there are toxic relationships about, the successful person can make the switch.

Once the inertia that keeps a person stayed is overcome, some great advantages are realised.

1. A whole new world that in our perception barely existed before begins to open up.

2. Options with it do start to materialise.

3. Suddenly there is room to think, breathe, ponder and decide.

4. The boldness of confidence is known.

5. We draw respect from others who admire us for making a decision that helps us, for we’ve taken responsibility for our own lives.

6. Whilst we’re in flux we have a unique sense of control over our destinies. Therefore, there is also the privilege to not disrespect this right via a poor decision or series of decisions that will perhaps wind us up worse off than before. Wisdom in times of flux is vital.

7. Lastly, we get to feel courageous and there are fewer more action-oriented virtues with as much power to buoy the spirit.

Giving Up Can Mean a Beautiful Beginning is Imminent

The main sense of deciding to give up on a method or a circumstance and try something new is that it’s not about the past at all.

It’s all about the future; that sense of destiny that we’ve all lit up via the faith of our gut to go with it.

This has a beauty about it that just spells, “L.I.F.E.”

© 2010 S. J. Wickham.

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