530. Expert Interview: How to Prepare for a Successful Quit

Lynn Marie Morski

Dr. Lynn Marie Morski is a physician, attorney and lifelong quitter. Through her “Quitting by Design” website she helps people carve out successful lives through strategic quitting. Her goal is to destigmatize quitting and illustrate what a useful tool it can be in creating a fulfilling life. When not helping people to and through their quits, she’s a physician at the Veterans Administration, an adjunct professor of health law at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, California. Outside of medicine and law, Lynn Marie trains the Brazilian martial art of capoeira, plays the guitar and bass, and does volunteer work in election reform.

How to Prepare for a Successful Quit

“We all hear the self-help mantra, ‘live your best life.’ A lot of people skip right over the part about having to quit whatever is making your current life NOT your best life, so that you can add things that will make it your best life. A lot of times, that’s the pain point, the sticking point. It raises questions like, ‘Will I have to quit the situation I’m in? Or this relationship, this job, this academic pursuit? The live your best life books may jump straight to asking, ‘What would you like to do instead?’ But if you can’t get past the quitting portion, you’re never going to get to step two.”

Why Is This Important?

“Using strategic quitting as a tool, you should happily claim the label of a quitter, because that means that you aren’t stuck in fear, that you are not spinning your wheels doing something that doesn’t work for you. Instead, you take the reins and say, ‘I’m quitting this thing that doesn’t work and am moving on to something better!’ That’s why I love to destigmatize the word. A friend pointed out something interesting to me: We have all lost something in life, but we don’t walk around labeling ourselves as losers. So, why should you think if you quit something unproductive that you will be permanently labeled a quitter? These are just words—semantics—and mere words should not keep you stuck!”

What Are the Key Lessons Learned Here?

“Pay attention to those things in your life that give you that sinking feeling in your gut. It might come in relation to a part of your job you just don’t like. It may relate to a particular friend. Sometimes we have friendships we need to quit so we can move on to greener pastures. Or, if you are in school and certain classes fill you with dread, step one is to check in with yourself to see what makes you feel that way. Your gut is not going to lie to you. When you get that sinking feeling, or anxiety, or just not sleeping well, check in with things like that. They may be areas where you should contemplate a strategic quit.”