The uncertainty that comes with making decisions can make it difficult to know when to quit. People often hold on to a losing endeavor for too long because they want to be sure that there is no other choice. Quitting at the right time will often feel like quitting too early because there will still be a chance of turning things around.

We think that when the world tells us it's time to quit, we'll listen. But we don't. People often ignore the clear signals that it's time to quit and instead escalate their commitment to losing causes. This is due to cognitive biases and human nature, and people tend to misinterpret, minimize, or ignore signals that quitting would be the best choice.

Quitting smartly involves being aware of the cognitive biases that can lead to poor decision-making and developing strategies for evaluating when it's time to quit. One has to evaluate when it's time to quit and when it's better to persist. One has to make decisions that take into account the probability of success, the potential costs and benefits, and the possibility of changing circumstances.

Quitting can be an important tool for achieving success in the long run. By quitting when appropriate, you can free up resources to pursue more promising opportunities. Quitting can help you avoid the "sunk cost fallacy," which is the tendency to persist in a losing endeavor because of the resources already invested.

Quitting can also help you avoid the trap of being too committed to an idea or approach and can help you stay flexible and adaptable to new information.