When Should You Give Up?

Is quitting and giving up the same thing?  Lance Armstrong said, “The pain you’re feeling now, that pain will go away.  But if you quit, you gotta live with that forever.”  Winston Churchill said, “Never, never, never give up.”  Donald Trump said it very similar, “Never give up. Never.”  That came from a man who has filed multiple bankruptcies and divorces.  Someone once told me and I don’t remember who it was, but they said, “A quitter never wins and a winner never quits.”  Ok. At this moment, I wonder…  At some point, someone has to quit or give up.  It’s just a natural phenomenon.   For every winner there is a loser.  To win a war someone has to surrender, right? A writer must know when to quit or end the book…  When do you know? When do you say, “enough is enough.”  I’ve asked this question to many people.  A wise man once told me that once YOU believe it’s over then it’s over.  Yogi Berra said, “It ain’t over til it’s over.” Sports broadcastera love to say, “It ain’t over until the fat lady sings.”  So, when do you really know when it’s over?  To pack up and fold your tent and just go home.  Ferris Bueller said at the end of his movie (you have to wait until all of the credits have finished).  “It’s over.  Go home.”

Even Donald Trump had to quit a marriage or a business venture.  He had to make a decision.  When should I quit or give up on this marriage or business venture?  In one aspect, he quit.  But, he didn’t give up on marriage because he married again.  So, in actuality he didn’t quit.  Or, did he?

There are times that I just want to give up.  Start over.  Begin anew.  I’ve had enough.  It’s over.  So, if I’m like Donald and give up but start anew.  Did I really give up on my present status quo?  But, if I look for my new status quo that doesn’t mean that I have given up or quit altogether.  I think they call that change. In order to change, you have to quit the old and start the new.  I think it comes down to what I said earlier, “Deep in your heart when you believe that it’s over then it really is over.” Until you reach that point, you never give up or give in….:)