What if becoming a better quitter was something to aspire to?

Annie Duke thinks it is. She’s a national science foundation fellowship winner and bestselling author who’s used her background in psychology to become a successful poker player and business advisor. Lately, she’s spent time studying the power of quitting, a tool she argues is as important as grit, resilience, and sticking it out.

The science shows we’re not great at it. We don’t fire quickly enough. We don’t quit soon enough. We don’t end relationships early enough. Why? Well, identity and goals play a role. Along with many of the messages our culture sends that err more on the side of stick it out than on the side of quit and try something else.

Annie’s compelling book on the topic is titled, Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away. It’ll help you see how sticking with something that’s not working is just as much a decision as quitting. You’ll begin to view quitting as an important tool to add to your decision-making toolkit, especially when you understand better when to use it.

Episode Links

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

To Change, or Not to Change? Just Flip a Coin

Horse by Geraldine Brooks

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Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.

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CM 225: Annie Duke on Knowing When to Quit

Curious Minds at Work