Quitting has bad cultural framing — 'don't give up', 'persistence wins'. Strategic quitting is actually one of the most underused mental health interventions. Some things deserve to be quit, and quitting them frees energy for what does matter.
What's worth quitting
Hobbies you don't enjoy but feel obligated to continue. Friendships that consistently drain. Jobs that have plateaued mentally and aren't recoverable. Books, shows, podcasts you started and aren't enjoying. Commitments made when life was different that don't fit current life.
Why we don't quit
Sunk cost fallacy. 'What will people think.' Identity tied to the activity. Fear of admitting it didn't work. None of these are good reasons to continue something that's draining without producing benefit.
Audit annually: 'What am I doing that I would not start now if asked?' Most lives have several such items. Quitting them frees real energy for what does matter.