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Life Positive

November 2017

Knowing when to quit can be a ladder to success, growth and opportunities, says Shivi Verma

Somehow I could never relate to the adage, “Winners never quit and quitters never win.” Because, I realised that in so many situations it was necessary to quit. In plenty of situations it is impossible to find closure or come to a conclusion unless one party quits.

Quitting can be a wondrous decision. So often, the obstinacy to not quit is nothing but your stubborn ego which is choosing to not see the writing on the wall. Infact, my entire journey towards where I am today is filled with quitting. If I hadn’t accepted defeat at many things which I was trying to prove myself at, I wouldn’t have been able to find my real calling. And let’s accept that one has to attempt several things before one zeroes upon one thing which clicks the most with him.

Since the beginning, maths was a challenge for me. I could never wrap my head around numbers and figures. And I was often made to feel ashamed for this disability of mine by my peers, teachers and relatives. I wasn’t smart or intelligent by their standards. It pained me much and I kept trying very hard to excel at something which I wasn’t inherently good at. Result ^_ a dismal performance in maths in board exams. Yet, my bruised ego wanted to prove that I was smart and I could do well at sciences. I left maths and took up biology, but frankly speaking, I found it quite insipid. My exam results were enough to show me that sciences were not my cup of tea. I accepted the verdict and decided to study humanities. I loved studying political science, English literature and art.

I romantically visualised becoming a JNU intellectual and actually sat for the test, confident that I would bag a seat. But I didn’t want to appear for civil services, which my father wanted, if I cleared the JNU entrance exam. Unfortunately I drew a blank in the test. Devastated, I decided that I wouldn’t waste another precious year pursuing it. I was good looking, excelled at writing and creative thinking and could easily make a mark in the field of media. I enrolled for a course in mass media which wasn’t too difficult. I passed with flying colours and landed a job in a premiere media house.

But then difficulties began to surmount. I began to question the kind of work I was doing - simply highlighting the flaws in the society and increasing cynicism. Secondly, I was even more disheartened to see that none of the journalists I came across, were actually interested in the welfare of the society. For them, every breaking news was a matter of personal glory; their time in the sun. After struggling in vain to change things and do them the right way, I gave up. I realised that in an atmosphere which was rife with intense internal competition, it was impossible for me to set an example of selflessness. I was getting badly cornered in my office. I looked deep within and realised that my profession and my calling have to be one and the same for me to be happy. I was a spiritual person and needed an atmosphere where basic rules of fairplay were observed.

When I discovered Life Positive, I intuitively knew that I was meant for it. And without much struggle, got the job. I was relieved to see that people played by the rules over here and there was no pettiness in the organisation. I flourished over here, and know that no amount of monetary temptation can make me quit it for another organisation. In relationships too, I have never fought to keep them alive after their expiry date. I have heard the voice telling me it's over and have moved on. And even in spirituality, I gave up trying to find God after pursuing Him obsessively for a decade. Needless to say, He appeared after I gave up trying. But there is one clause to quitting successfully. Never quit until you have given your 100 per cent to a task.