[Flash] Just Because You Stop Doesn’t Mean You Quit

But then Quan struggled to find work as an actor. So, he moved behind the camera, choreographing stunts and assisting directors. But he never relinquished his dream.

After a 20-year hiatus from acting, he was inspired to hire a new talent agent in January 2020 and two weeks later auditioned for the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once. Last weekend, Quan won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

During a tear-strewn acceptance speech, Quan effused, “Dreams are something you must believe in. I almost gave up on mine. Don’t give up on your dreams! I owe everything to my wife Echo, who month after month said to me, ‘Your time will come.’”

While Quan stopped acting, he never quit.

Stop vs. Quit

• We stop to cease an activity. We quit to abandon a commitment.
• We stop to regroup, reflect, and redirect our efforts. We quit to retire the effort.
• We stop to begin again, more intelligently. We quit when we’re done trying.
• We stop to preserve our aspirations, intention, or goal. We quit to forfeit the goal.
• We stop to pivot for the unexpected. We quit because of the unexpected.
• Stopping is a pause. Quitting is permanent.

Before my epic cross-country bike ride, I suffered a knee injury that forced me to stop cycling and heal. I was immensely frustrated, but the experience fortified my determination to pedal again. The following year, I completed the adventure.

More recently, I stopped writing my fifth book after receiving numerous rejections from book agents. But, while disenchanted, I haven’t quit. Instead, I’ve paused to absorb their feedback and strengthen my idea. Then, I’ll pivot and pursue the ambition from another angle.

Mentees! When you feel deflated, look to your Mentors to validate your experience and help you discern if it’s time to quit or merely stop.  

Just because you stop doesn’t mean you quit (unless you want to).

© 2023. Ann Tardy and MentorLead. www.mentorlead.com. All Rights Reserved.