“Sticking things out is overrated, particularly if you stick out the wrong things. In fact, I think you’d be much better off quitting most of what you do so you have the resources to get through the hard slog I call the Dip. The challenge, then, is to not quit in the Dip, but instead to quit everything else so you have the focus to get through the slog of what matters.”
Seth Godin, Whatcha Gonna Do With That Duck?
Beyond the Quote (71/365)
What should we stick out and what should we quit? I can tell you that the list of things we should stick out is far smaller than the list of things we should quit. And after some reflection, what you might find is that your list of things that you’ve been sticking out is WAY bigger than you might have imagined it to be and the things you SHOULD be sticking out might not even be making it to your daily to-do list at all. My instinct tells me that the follow 6 things are worth sticking out without explaination: Reading, Writing, Exercising, Meditating, Learning, and Connecting.
What I really want to focus on is the list of things that you might be able to quit that will help you do more of the above mentioned 6 things. The list of things to quit isn’t all inclusive (obviously) and is really designed to stimulate self-reflective thinking. What could you quit (or quit doing so much of) that would allow you to do more of the things that really matter?
Sometimes, in order to get more done, rather than try and cut out more and more time from your sleep—try cutting away from the unnecessary that already fills your day. You might even decide that one of the items I list isn’t worth quitting to you—and that’s totally fine! Think carefully about each item and make the decision to quit sticking out the wrong things. Quit more often. Focus more on what really matters and what’s really going to help you move forward in life. I hope this finds you well. Good luck!
Reading
- Quit streaming TV Shows / Movies.
- Quit scrolling through never ending social media timelines.
- Quit thinking that reading is a chore—it’s an investment (and a wildly good one at that).
- Quit judging yourself and your reading taste—just pick up a book that calls you and read.
- Quit thinking that reading is done after school—that’s where the best reading of your life should begin.
Writing
- Quit going on your phone before bed—try opening up a journal instead.
- Quit going on your phone first thing in the morning—try writing down your dreams, gratitudes, or intentions.
- Quit reading so deeply into what everybody else has to say and write down and share what you have to say.
- Quit putting yourself down and embody the idea that your opinion matters and your life experiences are relevant and worth sharing.
- Quit criticizing everybody else’s stance and writings and spend more time formulating and sharing your own.
Exercising
- Quit sleeping in so late and try waking up 20 minutes earlier.
- Quit the gym membership(s) that you have that you don’t use and learn how to do workouts from home.
- Quit going into workouts trying to kill yourself and try pacing yourself instead—not just for that session but for the lifetime of sessions ahead.
- Quit placing expectations on yourself—focus on consistency, 1% gains, and being patient with the process.
- Quit booking meetings/ appointments/ and busywork during ‘exercise’ time. Make exercise time sacred time.
Meditating
- Quit overthinking. Just sit, close your eyes, and pay attention to your thoughts.
- Quit watching so many videos and stimulating the mind so much—make some space to calm it down and let thoughts settle.
- Quit looking at meditation as something you do only when you have time—you’ll never “have time” and it has been proven to be powerful enough to be a main priority.
- Quit judging yourself when you try to meditate and when thoughts keep popping up uncontrollably. That’s the point of the practice—learn how to regain control one breath at a time.
- Quit trying to perfect. None of us are. Our minds are out of control and fill us up with perfectionist ideals that we need to learn how to drop. We are human—quit trying to change that.
Learning
- Quit playing so many damn games. Quit the phone games, the video console games, the iPad games, the arcade games, the lust games. Try Udemy, Skillshare, Audible, or MasterClass instead.
- Quit associating your knowledge and skillset to your “Diploma”—focus on lifelong learning and take control of educating yourself.
- Quit spending so much time doing online phone shopping and spend more time doing online courses, leveling up in educational apps, or building up skills in follow-along classes.
- Quit letting other people tell you what to learn. Focus on learning what YOU want to learn. Quit learning about anything that doesn’t spark your curiosity. Don’t do it for your best friend, your mom, your dad, or your idol. Your learning is for your life and your life is for you to decide.
- Quit being stubborn with money for self-education. It baffles me how some people don’t even blink to go into $100,000 worth of student debt, but have to really think if the $25 book will be worth the money… It completely baffles me. Don’t be that person. Buy the damn book. Invest in yourself.
Connecting
- Quit talking about yourself so much and learn how to take genuine interest in others. Learn how to ask better questions of them and engage in more outwardly focused conversations.
- Quit worry about how many “likes” and “comments” your post got and spend more time planning out your next post, commenting on others (the way you would want them to comment on yours), and engage with the people in your networks in positive ways.
- Quit looking at your imperfections as flaws—as things that cast you as an “outsider” of the rest. Embrace your imperfections and find your people by sharing and showcasing your “flaw-some” side.
- Quit overthinking and reach out first. If an old friend comes to mind—shoot them a text and let them know. If you’re suddenly reminded of a friend that was going through a hard time when you last spoke to them—call right then and there and check in. If somebody goes above and beyond and you notice—tell them. Be the first to reach out.
- Quit comparing yourself to others. Some of us aren’t as social or charismatic as others—that’s okay. Be who you are and speak to those in your corner. You don’t always needs to be the center of attention to stand out.
Read Next: Top 15 Quotes from Whatcha Gonna Do With That Duck by Seth Godin
Don't Let the Motivation Stop There...!
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