A Different Spin on 'Quitting'

A new year brings a hefty amount of expectations with it. And 2025 will prove to be no different for most. Chances are you made a list of a few (or a few too many) resolutions to improve the outcome of 2025.

And how would you gauge your motivation as the second week of January unfolds? If you listen to the news hype, you’ll likely give up on all your resolutions by Friday, a day now being coined “Quitter’s Day.”  Sounds a little like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

So what if we look at “Quitter’s Day” differently?

Instead of ruminating on all the goals that may now seem too daunting to continue, what if we take a moment to reassess? Personally and professionally.

When it comes to the strategic plans your organization has put in place to make 2025 successful, what is that landscape starting to look like already? Take a minute to consider how these “quits” might actually be worth making:

• Quit making unclear objectives. How well-defined are the project goals your organization has set and are the deliverables achievable from the outset? What does your benefits realization plan look like? If you don’t have one, get one in place now. 
• Quit expecting unqualified teams to make magic happen. Does the team in place have the right skills? If there’s a gap, address it immediately by putting the right professional development in place. Foster an environment that encourages knowledge sharing and build improved project performance.  
• Quit thinking you need to have all the answers within your four walls. Get an outside perspective. Focus on what your organization does best and think objectively about who can best handle complex things outside of that scope like project management. Think about what’s possible, not what’s available.

Once you’ve quit spending energy, resources, time, money in the wrong places, the outcomes you're looking for in 2025 may suddenly seem a lot more achievable.