Updated September 16, 2026 at 12:33 PM PDT
"If at first you don't succeed, try again." "Winners never quit and quitters never win."
Our culture has a lot of sayings against quitting, making it seem like a failure. But sometimes, abandoning a goal means opening up space for something better.
Cognitive psychologist Annie Duke, author of Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away; career educator Colin Rocker; and psychologist and professor Angela Duckworth explain how to know when it's time to move on.
This episode of Life Kit was produced by Margaret Cirino. It was edited by Malaka Gharib. The visual editor is Beck Harlan.
Want more Life Kit? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get expert advice on topics like money, relationships, health and more. Click here to subscribe now.
Copyright 2026 NPR
