Quit believing that quitters never win. They do

It's easy to get into a "quitters never win" mindset, but often, quitting is the right thing to do in some situations, including realizing your current career path leads nowhere, you're working in a toxic environment or you're afraid of being labeled a quitter, even if you should walk away, writes author Frank Sonnenberg. "The truth is that quitting is not always a sign of weakness but rather a strategic decision to redirect your efforts toward more meaningful and positive pursuits," Sonnenberg writes.

Put it into practice: Sonnenberg offers 15 questions to help discern if it's time to quit, including what may have changed that makes you feel like quitting, whether you will regret the decision down the road and whether you have examined the issue from all sides.

Feedback systems in modern workplaces are ineffective or broken, writes executive coach Jenny Fernandez, who advocates for insights-based, actionable feedback that caters to millennials and Generation Z. Instead of the old style of judging past actions and missing out on opportunities, Fernandez urges a more dynamic approach that creates "healthy friction" to cultivate teaching moments and continuous improvement.

Put it into practice: Ask "What will you do differently?" rather than the traditional "What's working and not working?" Fernandez suggests. Use prompts such as "What needs to be true for you to achieve your goals?" to identify obstacles and develop a problem-solving mindset.

It's easy to take it personally when you have yet to hear back from a coworker or recruiter; however, the slow or absent response is usually not personal but a product of the other person's packed schedule, Shari Harley, president of Candid Culture, writes. Rather than worry this is a reflection of your worth, try three different ways of coping, along with one action that may solve the problem before it starts.

Put it into practice: To better manage such situations in the future, set clear expectations up front about how to proceed when responses are delayed, Harley suggests. If you're waiting to hear from your boss, ask if you can reschedule canceled meetings, and if you're waiting to hear from a co-worker, ask whom else you can approach instead.

A company's culture should reflect its values and mission, writes Tracy Lawrence, the founder and CEO of The Lawrence Advisory, but cultures can be evaluated and shifted for a better fit. "Cultural change is a long and challenging process that requires ongoing commitment, clear communication, and alignment of organizational practices with the desired cultural attributes," Lawrence writes.

An elephant seal pup that was tagged on the beach at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California swam nearly 5,000 miles round-trip to Alaska and back, according to her tag data. Nine other tagged pups stayed closer to home, traveling along the California and Mexico coastlines.

I have quit many things throughout my life and career, be they relationships or jobs. In many, I stayed too long, waiting until the situation was too painful to remain. I have learned, over those years, that if you're in misery, it's past time to go.

Often, we think that we must suffer for things to get better. Our society tells us that suffering is good. "No pain, no gain," right?

Wrong. Staying in something that is actively causing you pain, suffering and distress -- be it a relationship or a job -- gains you nothing but more pain and anguish.

I stayed far too long (out of a sense of obligation) in my job as the leader of a spiritual community that I founded. Even though the job, which was once heaven for me, had become a personal hell. The board tried to help by giving me fewer duties and reducing the number of weeks that I spoke, but it wasn't the workload that was the problem -- it was the work itself. It no longer fed me. It no longer brought me joy. Instead, it drained me.

These are the signs that it's time to walk away. Even if what you're leaving was once something that brought you so much joy, you were sure you could do it forever. There is a season for everything in our lives. When misery begins to creep into something that used to bring you joy, it's time to reevaluate. It may simply need some adjustments, or it may be time to say, "I quit."

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