Why giving up is making you stronger - Strength comes from knowing when to let go

We've all been fed this idea that we should never quit, that we should push through no matter what. And sure, persistence has its place. But sometimes, giving up isn't just okay—it's empowering.

Remember when you were a kid, and adults would tell you to "never give up"? Well, they meant well, but life's a bit more complicated than that. Sometimes, giving up on one thing opens the door to something even better.

At a certain point, I was on the fast track to becoming a design director. Sounds great, right? More money, more prestige, the whole package. But here's the thing —it wasn't what I really wanted. (Although the cash was tempting!)

I realized that accepting that promotion would eat up all my time and energy, leaving nothing for what I truly cared about building my coaching business and getting out of Tech.

So, I did something that probably seemed crazy to many people, I not only refused that promotion, I stepped down from where I was. Yep, you read that right. I went from being almost a director to becoming an individual contributor, working four days a week and a 20% pay cut. And you know what? It was the best damn decision I could have made. By giving up on that I suddenly had time, headspace, and energy to focus on what really mattered to me.

Now, let's talk about Sarah. She's not a quitter by any means, but she knew when to hold her horses. Sarah wanted more responsibility and impact in her work, but the only option on the table was becoming a manager. She didn't want to be a manager - the politics, the people management. She wanted to run projects and build stuff!

When she got offered the manager role Sarah chose to wait. It was not an easy decision. Sarah knew that chasing something just because there’s no better option yet, would backfire. She stayed put in her current role until something that actually aligned with her goals came along. She happily leads a small team in another organization building products without the management responsibility.

It takes guts to do that, to refuse an offer when we have no better alternative.

So, how do you know when it's time to give up? It's not about throwing in the towel at the first sign of trouble. It's about being honest with yourself and asking some tough questions:

1. Does this path align with my long-term goals?
2. Am I sacrificing too much of what's important to me?
3. Is there a better opportunity I'm missing out on by sticking with this?

If something doesn't feel right, don't ignore that feeling. Explore the benefits that come with giving up.

• You could free up time and energy for what truly matters to you.
• You might avoid getting stuck in a role or situation that doesn't fit.
• You could open yourself up to opportunities you hadn't even considered before.

Sometimes, giving up can be a strategic move that leads to bigger and better things. It's about being smart with your choices and honoring who you are.

Life's too short to stick with something that doesn't serve you. Next time you're facing a tough decision, don't be afraid to consider giving up as an option. It might just be the most empowering choice you can make.