Sometimes it Pays to be a Quitter

Aug 28, 2017 | Calling, Change, Christian Living, Culture, Find an Appropriate Kind of Balance, Fulfillment, Idolatry, Job, Leadership, Life Seasons, Listening Up, Mental Health, Personal Growth, Purpose, Shaping, Stress, Wisdom, YLU17

Written By Chad Gramling

Quitter. It’s such a nasty little word. I am sure - like me - when you hear it, you immediately think to the refrains of “quitters never prosper.” Or perhaps, “quitters never win.” That’s advice that is well-intentioned, but perhaps is misguided. Looking back on my now many-seasoned life, I can point out many times when being a quitter would have been for the better. In fact, being a quitter might lead to a better life balance and a more enjoyable life in general. Here’s why:

Urgency Is Not the Same as Important

... many unimportant things become urgent if we let them: e.g., we sign up for something, maybe simply because someone asked us to or because everyone else is signing up, and its demands escalate and it begins to take too much time. - Gather Ministries
This was in today’s Wire Devotional (for men) from Gather Ministries. And it hit home. I can’t even tell you the number of unopened emails I delete daily. Mind you, these are not mere spam emails. I asked for them to be sent to me. What started out as a solid resource for personal development lost its luster or just fell in priority. Ironically, many of them have subject lines like “Chad, are you really gonna miss this?” or “Only One Hour Left.” It’s sort of like when Disney used to say they would be locking up the vault on beloved classics to make us buy. I’m sorry. Your email just isn’t as urgent as you want it to be. Similarly, I have taken on tasks for friends, peers and the like that have spiraled way out of scope. I’ve joined boards and later found out it was nothing as I was originally pitched. I’ve found myself in situations where I had to be a quitter simply because it was keeping me from prospering.

Unless You’re a Quitter, You Limit Your Growth

A quitter knows the straight path can lead to a stale life, a misguided sense of priorities and keep us from becoming who we are meant to be.

A quitter knows the straight path can lead to a stale life, a misguided sense of priorities and keep us from becoming who we are meant to be.

That’s right, I had to be a quitter because it was keeping me from prospering. More precisely, I had to be a quitter so other areas of my life could prosper. As the aforementioned devotional pointed out, we have just 24 hours in a day.
“Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass” (Job 14:5)
Our time is bound to limits placed by God. God wants us to use that time appropriately. It’s real easy to get settled into home, career and hobbies. And then we get comfortable. It’s so comfortable, we grip to “normal” with all our might. Change becomes stressful and a thing to be avoided. In short, we prohibit growth. Bob Goff has the antidote. Be a quitter. As he says, “We can’t change much if we don’t quit much.”

Quitters Get to Be Who they are Designed to Be

So what’s the big deal about change anyway? Is it really all that great, like some people say? Okay, a lot of people say it. And adapting to change is pretty much a prerequisite for living. As the old saying goes about churches (and I am sure most other endeavors), if you aren’t growing, you’re dying. Here, I have to point to the dragonfly. This amazing creature is the 1Glories logo for a reason; it didn’t stop growing and it did not let the prospect of living in an entirely new world keep it from becoming the glorious creature it was designed to be. If it refused to be a quitter - it would have remained an overlooked water slug. Instead, it gave in. It quit living the existence as something it used to be and opened itself to living as a new creation. [special]psst! If you want to learn a little more about the amazing life of the dragonfly, join the 1Glories Swarm and I’ll send you a free ebook (plus some bonuses) that contains it![/special] A refining life, on purpose, intentionally seeks opportunities to grow. Usually, the only way you can do that is by making the room for it. And sometimes, yes, you have to make room by being a quitter at something else.  

Written By Chad Gramling

Chad Gramling is a passionate writer, historian, and artist dedicated to exploring the intersections of faith, history, and creativity. Through 1Glories, he shares his unique perspectives and life lessons, inviting readers to join him on a journey of discovery and inspiration.

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