Go to school, go to college, get a job, get married and live happily ever after. Sound familiar? This is what so many of us were taught when we were growing up.
And the truth is, this path can make you very fulfilled and happy.
But, that's only if you choose the right college, the right career, the right job, the right partner, etc.
If you make choices based on what other people want for you, or if you make choices based on what you think will get people to like you, you are setting yourself up for failure (and a lot of disappointment).
Take my friend for example: He wanted to be a teacher and a basketball coach, but his mom had other things in mind for him.
My friend's mom thought he should go on and "become more." So, my friend went to law school and became an attorney. And guess what? He hates it.
He would be much happier teaching and coaching kids somewhere else. But, he can't just quit his job now.
He's married, has a mortgage, student loan debt (a lot of student loan debt) and a baby on the way. He has all of this before he turned 30 years old.
What's my point? This doesn't have to be you. Instead, you can choose what you want to do — what you're good at — and quit everything else.
By quitting everything that isn't a good fit for you (and that you don't like), you will eventually land where you are supposed to be.
On the other hand, if you don't quit and continue down a path that doesn't fulfill you or make you happy, your commitment to something you don't want to do will only grow deeper.
Therefore, it will become harder for you to quit.
1. You thought you would like something, but you were wrong.
If you started something thinking you would like it, and you ended up not enjoying it at all, you need to quit.
We like to think we know ourselves very well and are capable of making all the right choices but sometimes, we make mistakes and things turn out differently than we expect.
Instead of sticking it out, own up to the fact you don't like what you're doing and quit.
That way, you can start doing something you actually do like.
2. Doing something to be liked is overrated (and leaves you unhappy).
If you're doing something because you think it will make people like you, you're doing it for the wrong reasons.
Grant Cardone said, "Your success will be compromised by your need to be liked by everyone."
You need to live your life, not the life you think will make people like you. Don't sell yourself short.
Quit the things you do to be liked so you can achieve long-term happiness.
3. Quitting sooner gives you more opportunity to figure out what's right for you.
The more resources you spend on something, the harder it is to quit because you become more and more invested.
What lies ahead is your unknown future, and it's what you're giving up by doing other things.
So, if you want to choose the right job and career, it's better to quit something you know isn't right for you right away than to increase your uninteresting investment.
The longer you stick it out, the harder it is to quit.
4. Focusing on things you're bad at is a waste of time (and won't lead to success).
One of the biggest success myths is you should focus on improving the things you're bad at doing.
The marketplace is so competitive already, so why should you work incredibly hard to be average at something you were never good at to begin with?
You should quit focusing on the things you're not good at. Instead, give your attention to what you excel at doing.
You'll become better than the competition and potentially wildly successful.
5. No one cares more about your happiness than you.
Your friends and family may be rooting for you to succeed by following a certain path, but you're the one who has to live your life day in and day out.
You only get one shot. No one will ever care more about your happiness than you will.
Instead of continuing to do something you don't enjoy, go against the grain and quit.
Your happiness depends on it. It's better to quit now, even if the people around you don't understand your decision.
You have to live with yourself, and you are responsible for your own happiness.