It's OK To Quit
Be careful what you wish for because when you eventually get it, it might not be what you truly want.
Perhaps this Zen Buddhist Fable will help to shed some light.
A farmer and his son had a beloved stallion who helped the family earn a living. One day, the horse ran away and their neighbors exclaimed, “Your horse ran away, what terrible luck!”
Has this ever happened to you? The one thing you thought would make you happier, better, wiser, more popular, more loveable didn't turn out quite the way you had imagined. In fact you might even wonder why did you want it so bad in the first place.
It's OK to quit. To stop doing something that doesn't work for you anymore. That doesn't align with your purpose, goals or dreams. Imagine you are living in a house where things start to fall apart or break down, you can replace them, you don't sell away the house. BUT, what if you decided to move to another location or you have a change of life plans? Perhaps you are getting married, a promotion or given new opportunities to travel? Holding to the house doesn't make sense for you any more, does it? So it's OK to quit.
Often people hold on (to something) for the wrong reasons and wonder why they are where they are. Some people half sleep through their lives and never wake up to live the one incredible life they have. If only they realised they are the only ones that hold the key to unlock their life's treasures.
Sometimes the answer may not so straight forward or you might be hesitant to make the decision to quit. The most common question is - "How do I know if it is the RIGHT thing to do?" There are two parts to that question. One, no one will ever know and two, every outcome is only a matter of perspective.
A farmer and his son had a beloved stallion who helped the family earn a living. One day, the horse ran away and their neighbors exclaimed, “Your horse ran away, what terrible luck!”
The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”
A few days later, the horse returned home, leading a few wild mares back to the farm as well. The neighbors shouted out, “Your horse has returned, and brought several horses home with him. What great luck!”
A few days later, the horse returned home, leading a few wild mares back to the farm as well. The neighbors shouted out, “Your horse has returned, and brought several horses home with him. What great luck!”
The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”
Later that week, the farmer’s son was trying to break one of the mares and she threw him to the ground, breaking his leg. The villagers cried, “Your son broke his leg, what terrible luck!”
Later that week, the farmer’s son was trying to break one of the mares and she threw him to the ground, breaking his leg. The villagers cried, “Your son broke his leg, what terrible luck!”
The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”
A few weeks later, soldiers from the national army marched through town, recruiting all the able-bodied boys for the army. They did not take the farmer’s son, still recovering from his injury. Friends shouted, “Your boy is spared, what tremendous luck!”
A few weeks later, soldiers from the national army marched through town, recruiting all the able-bodied boys for the army. They did not take the farmer’s son, still recovering from his injury. Friends shouted, “Your boy is spared, what tremendous luck!”
The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”
The story can continue on but you get the point? We will never know whether the outcome is good or bad, right or wrong because life is filled with uncertainties and change is constant. Sometimes when we spend too much time planning, waiting, speculating and procrastinating, we get stuck in a rut and we never decide and take action.
What is the ONE THING you have been sitting on and delaying to act on it? Be honest with yourself and ask yourself the next question.
'Is it still the thing that I want to spend my time on?' If not, perhaps it is time to quit and it is OK to quit.
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