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MARKETERS.

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I’m quitting.

This project just isn’t working out, I’ve invested more into it than I could hope to get back, and I’m burnt out past recovery. I appreciate everyone who has supported and encouraged me as I’ve pursued this opportunity.

It’s just time…

Anyway, in this week’s letter we’re going to discuss…

hm…what’s that? quitting the newsletter?? No! Why would I do that?!

Ohhhhh…you thought I was…ok I see where…let me clarify.

Quitting has been a big topic of conversation for me recently. We had a client quit their multi-7-figure business last month. My mentee wanted to quit his content series. I actually am quitting a volunteer role I’d been performing.

Quitting is a taboo topic for marketers. We’re not supposed to start things if we don’t see ourselves doing them for a decade +. We pretend like we’ll rep the brands we promote for life. To quit is to fail.

Yet sometimes, quitting is necessary for growth. Here’s how you’ll know when it’s time:

Gut-Check Your Expectations

Most marketers know that a long-term view is required to be successful at anything - especially in the marketing and creative economy.

There are always exceptions. But the vast majority of your work will take time and repetitions to hit the scale you want. Some examples:

• Alex Hormozi created 4 years of podcasts before his hit

• It took Mr. Beast 3 years to generate any attention on Youtube

• Gary Vee was making < $100k/year working in his dad’s wine store when he was 35 years old.

There are no overnight successes.

If you don’t believe me, just keep breathing. Anyone who seems inordinately successful either earned their spot over time or is a fraud. There is no middle ground.

It’s easy to believe we’re missing some secret or hack to get what we want, though. Austin Kleon addresses our expectation to succeed through our creative work in his book, “Keep Going.”

Many of us were drawn to marketing careers because we get to use our skills and creativity in our day-to-day work. A blessing.

Still, this does not entitle us to achievement or acquisition of “nice things” as Austin puts it.

If this is the reason you want to quit, don’t. Reset your expectations and keep reading.

Make Sure It’s Not Just Creative Indigestion

So now your head is screwed on right. You’re not expecting to win too fast.

But you still wanna quit.

Hang tight. Here’s one more test before you pull the plug:

Make sure you’re not just experiencing creative indigestion.

Creative indigestion is a version of how you feel walking out of Five Guys in the middle of the summer.

You’re heavy. You’re hot. You’d rather be taking a nap.

This happens all of the time in our work. Steven Pressfield calls this “The Resistance.” Resistance is the invisible enemy that lives inside of our minds and creates tension as we pursue creative endeavors. It is the most dangerous thing we face as creators.

Here’s the kicker: Resistance can only get energy from us. It’s a parasite that can exist only as long as we allow it to. Pressfield says it this way:

The Resistance can come in a variety of forms, such as:

• impatience with a slow road to success

• boredom with too much success

• frustration with a negative environment or non-critical partner

• despair at a false summit

Regardless of the form it takes, there is only one way past resistance: to go through it.

To quit without regret, we have to push through the indigestion of the resistance and ensure our full effort has been spent. Only then is it time to seriously consider quitting.

The Sign It’s Finally Time to Quit

Ok. Enough is enough.

You’ve set realistic expectations. You’ve pushed through the resistance. You’ve been patient.

How will you know it’s actually time to quit?

Unfortunately, there is not a one-size-fits-all answer to this question. As I referenced earlier, many creators spent years on what appeared to be failed operations. But, they pushed through and turned what was a failure for the first few years into a decades-long success.

However, there comes a point when you have to look at the information and results in hand and choose a direction moving forward.

Here’s the one hard and fast rule I can give you when deciding when it is quitting time: It’s time to quit when you are inexplicably neglecting real opportunities that would benefit you or help you reach your objectives.

Let’s break that down:

• inexplicably: meaning you don’t have a reason or explanation for doing so. You’ve stopped thinking strategically and are simply doing the thing because its what you’ve done. There is no real value in pushing further.
  

• neglecting real opportunities: this is key. It’s okay to continue to pursue a project or job as long as it’s your only or best offer. The real tension comes when you are actively turning down better situations to remain where you are.
  

•  that would benefit you: you cannot let your ego decide. For many of us, time spent on a specific idea, project or company will build callous around our mind that keeps us from exploring better opportunities. Not because we love where we are, but because we want to prove we made the right decision originally. This is wrong.

When you are staying with a project to your own detriment (and only for pride’s sake), it is time to finally quit.

Of course, there are exceptions here too. If you derive satisfaction and joy out of the process itself, then who cares about the rest?

But when you’re making decisions in light of their impact on you, your loved ones, and the quality of your work - there may come a day when you need to evaluate how the opportunity cost of continuing will negatively impact you.

What do you think? Have you had a time you had to quit? Would love to hear your story!