meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Life Kit

Quitting isn't always bad. How to know when it's time to walk away

Life Kit

NPR

Health & Fitness, Self-improvement, Kids & Family, Education, Business

4.33.9K Ratings

🗓️ 18 August 2025

⏱️ 19 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Quitting is often associated with failure. But choosing to walk away from a goal can help you save time, identify what you truly want and create space for other pursuits. This episode, how to evaluate your goal, figure out its cost and know when it's time to throw in the towel.

For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit
Sign up for our newsletter here.
Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected]
Support the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekit

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Support for NPR and the following message come from the Walton Family Foundation, working to create access to opportunity for people and communities by tackling tough social and environmental problems.

0:12.0

More information is at waltonfamilyfoundation.org.

0:16.1

Hey, it's Mariel. It's kind of hard to find your next favorite podcast, besides Life Kit, of course.

0:23.9

But after you're done listening to our three episodes a week, if you want to switch it up,

0:28.6

you can check out at NPR's Pod Club newsletter.

0:31.4

Sign up and you'll get fresh podcast recommendations every week,

0:35.0

handpicked by the people that live for this stuff. You can subscribe

0:38.8

for free using the link in today's show notes or at npr.org slash podclub.

0:46.8

You're listening to Life Kit from NPR.

0:51.5

Hey, it's Mariel. Raise your hand if you've heard one of these sayings. Don't be a quitter.

0:59.7

Winners never quit and quitters never win. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

1:08.7

There's all this stuff around quitting that makes it seem cowardly.

1:12.4

This is Annie Duke, a cognitive psychologist, a decision strategist, and a former professional

1:17.9

poker player.

1:18.9

She wrote a book called Quit, and she says, we tend to think about quitting as a failure.

1:24.2

Even though it's not failure, if you're doing it in a situation where you ought to be

1:28.3

walking away, that's a success. Because you've stopped spinning your wheels or wasting your time,

1:33.3

and you get to go do other things that you'll enjoy more or that bring more value to your life.

1:38.6

But how do you know when it's one of those situations, when it is time to walk away. Or as Angela Duckworth puts it,

1:45.9

when to grit and when to quit. Angela is a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania.

1:52.0

She pioneered academic research on grit, which she defines as a mix of passion and perseverance

1:57.8

that allows people to achieve their long-term goals.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from NPR, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of NPR and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.