Just Don't Do It

The most difficult thing in the world isn't winning against all odds.

It's quitting.

In 2016, Alex Honnold wanted to free solo the most famous rock in the world, Yosemite's El Capitan. He planned to climb it without any ropes or assistance whatsoever. If he fell, he would die. One of his friends invested serious time and money into building a film crew and making a documentary out of the endeavor. A month before winter, Honnold sprained his ankle. After a partial recovery, he tried to make the climb but turned around before finishing.

He quit.

A year later, he tried again. This time, he made it. His friend was finally able to finish the documentary. It won an Oscar. Newspapers hailed Honnold as one of the greatest athletes of all time.

Not everyone who quits wins an Oscar.

At least they don't die.

Annie Duke explores the psychology of quitting in her book, Quit. She talks about Honnold's rare example of patience and restraint. Unfortunately, the vast majority of us don't possess it. From birth, we're steeped in a culture that tells us to never give up. There's an entire genre of books, articles, speeches, podcasts, and internet slogans dedicated to this idea.

Sometimes it's called grit, other times resilience.

It's wrong.