How to Know When It’s Time to Quit Your Business

If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with another hello. —Paulo Coehlo

Expected or a surprise, we all come to points in our lives where we find ourselves at a crossroad.

And we have to make a decision yet we’re utterly confused.

Heck, we’re not sure how to even respond.

Major events like getting engaged, getting married, having children, moving to another city, switching industries and starting a business really change the course of our lives.

And mind you, we’re scared like nobody’s business. I feel like I’ve spoken about a variety of business-related topics here on the blog. However, today feels different.

Instead of my usual #WellnessWednesday post, I’m going to talk about a subject we, as entrepreneurs don’t really talk about: how to know when it’s time to quit your business.

Maybe it’s because we don’t want to look like we failed or that we didn’t try hard enough, but I feel like I have to address this topic. So, if you’ve been thinking about quitting your business, keep reading.

**What happens before you think about quitting your business?**

You start to do less and less daily tasks. You begin to feel repelled at the thought of sending an email, posting on social media or even hosting/attending a conference call. And this just isn’t the Monday blues.
Your motivation dies a little, but not enough for you to be aware yet.
You start to entertain the idea of quitting your business.
You start to skip a few business-related calls and events here and there.
Taking a “break from the biz” becomes increasingly appealing.

What happens while you contemplate on quitting?

You take an unintentional break to find your inspiration again and it ends up being more intentional and longer than you expected.
Your thoughts begin. “Do I quit, do I not quit?” “Should I, shouldn’t I?”
You think of all the time and money you’ve invested in over the years and just want to throw up because “Could it all have been a waste this entire time?”
You begin to take some business-related tasks and events off your calendar and the side project you’ve been thinking about doing for years is no longer scary and you start taking action steps.
Your thoughts start veering towards seeking/praying for clarity.

How do you know when it’s time to quit your business?

After taking a good break from your business (I’m talking six months to years kind of time frame) and you still don’t want to come back.
When your family/friends not only tell you their thoughts, but it’s how they tell you, “I can hear it in your voice. You’re so excited/not excited about this.”
When you’re no longer passionate about selling your product/service even if you love said product/service.
You’ve been waking up with anxiety for a long period of time. And this just isn’t a I’m-having-a-bad-day kind of anxiety either.
When you’ve checked out. Even if you don’t want to confront it, the fire is dead and you know it. And yes, you still feel guilty.

What next?

Take time for yourself and reflect. Hard.
Don’t dive into another business opportunity right away unless you had a side thing going on this entire time you’ve been thinking about quitting your biz.
Enjoy the little things in life again like going out with your family and friends, volunteering, going to the movies, traveling, etc. to reboot your mind and spirit.
Even if you feel guilty, remember how much you’ve grown and evolved as a person and entrepreneur/leader. Put some time aside to be in a gratitude state of mind for the relationships you’ve built and believe that nothing was a waste.
Write down things/experiences you really want and be painstakingly honest with yourself even if it’s scary big. Ask yourself, “What do I want out of life?” and answer truthfully

A lot has happened within the last two years, but especially within the last six months. I’m writing this blog post today because I have to be brutally honest with myself. I have to face the music and be okay with what Dr. Henry Cloud said, “Even good things have their own seasons.” and close such a good chapter of my life. The deal with me is that, I’m okay with closing chapters of my life because who says I can’t reopen them? Why am I saying this? Because here’s the deal: If God wants this chapter to stay closed, He’ll keep it closed no matter how hard I try to reopen it.