# Progressive quitting By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2022-09-08 There is a large and messy gap between the decision to make progress and achieving that progress. While discerning what actions you believe are valuable can be done on your own, making that progress is almost entirely out of your control and full of uncertainty. Failures, missteps, and doubts are common visitors on the road to progress. But remember that you chose this path because you thought it was valuable. If this belief is strong enough, then the trail-blazing journey is intrinsically worth it regardless of the outcome. You gave it your best and sometimes things work out and sometimes the world punches you in the face. Such is [[life]]. However, recognizing when to quit is also a critical skill for your mental and physical health. Fundamentally this skill is the same one you used when you started the journey: [[All action, no progress|the discernment of what is valuable]]. In the beginning, you decided to pursue actions you thought were valuable. These values and your assessment of them will likely change over time. However, when your pursuits transition from valuable to invaluable, it is time to think about doing something else as you are no longer making progress. Instead, you are just going through the motions. It isn't easy to recognize this transition because your day-to-day looks the same. Wake up, go to a meeting, send an email, have a conversation, and go to bed. Meaningless actions look the same as purposeful actions. The difference is all in your discernment and reflection. If you decide that a change is in order, then you might feel that you've wasted your time. However, it wasn't a waste if you started your journey with the intent to make progress. At one point you thought it was worth pursuing and now the [[value]] has left or changed. But, choosing to just go through the motions is an act of self-betrayal as you once pursued progress and now you pursue nothingness. This does not mean that your actions must change, although they can and probably will. You can, and likely should keep doing them to survive. But, at a minimum, you can change how the meaning of those actions helps you pursue what is valuable to you now. For example, going to work used to mean making a difference in the world because you believed in that organization's mission. But now going to work might mean supporting your family with a paycheck. Both are valuable pursuits, yet the meaning and execution of those same actions will naturally change with your new purpose. Ultimately, knowing that progress can still happen even when the world disappoints you is the first step in progressive quitting. #### Related Items [[Progress]] [[Work]] [[Self-Actualization]] [[Purpose]] [[Quiet Quitting]]