EAP 65: Did You Quit or Just Change Your Mind? Navigating Halts & Pivots

We talk a lot on the Early Accountability Podcast about goal setting and goal activation, but are there times when it is ok to quit or stop pursuing a goal? Is that counterproductive, or could it possibly be more productive? A key factor in knowing when to keep pushing and when to stop is being mindful and in touch with your passions. Once you have established in your mind what you really want to be doing, it may become clear to you that you need to stop doing some of the things you have been working towards. Here are a few examples of times when it is in your best interest to quit or stop: 1. When your goal doesn’t align with your passions anymore. Perhaps when you set the goal, you were at a much different place in your life, and now that so much has changed, this goal isn’t something you want to pursue. It is important to recognize the distinction between the goal not aligning with your passions and just not knowing how to get started. Don’t get caught making excuses for quitting on something because of the unknowns. 2. When you were pursuing the goal for the wrong reasons. This can happen frequently when you join something that you’ve seen others doing but when it comes down to it, you just don’t have the drive to get to the finish line. 3. When it is just not the right time. In this instance, you are just putting things on pause until things fall into place or your mindset shifts so you are ready to get started. It is important to come up with a plan for when you will start this goal back up based on timing or other factors to ensure it is still a priority. Quitting is not shameful, and you do not need to feel embarrassed to talk to people about it. However, it may be awkward to tell your accountability partners or other people you were participating with that you’re moving on. The first thing to do is to get grounded and truly understand your “whys” for quitting. You will then be able to candidly talk with your friends about this change and ask them for their support as you go in a new direction. Topics Covered in this Episode: • Quitting or stopping a goal • Changing your mind • Getting grounded • Mindfulness and goal setting