Ever notice that there’s a massive hustle culture in the world right now? 

It’s all about doing more, trying harder, enduring and never giving up. In some cases, they’re the best things to do. But other times, the best thing to do is actually to walk away. 

Here’s the thing: the idea of walking away isn’t painted in great light in today’s world and doesn’t get as much attention. 

That might make you feel as though walking away is throwing in the towel and it signifies failure. But it couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Today we’re talking about 7 moments in life when the best thing to do is walk away and despite how you feel at the time, it’s the smartest thing you can do. 

Let’s get started. 

1) While you’re ahead

We’ve all heard the expression “Quit while you’re ahead”, right? But what does it mean?

Steven Bartlett, entrepreneur, and podcast host talks about how “Quitting has been demonized in our society. It’s associated with being weak. But it’s the incredibly important thing you have to do before you start the next thing.”

And he doesn’t just talk the talk: after setting up a social media business from his bedroom at just 22, he stepped down as CEO 4 years later to pursue other projects. The company was thriving and valued at $600m around the same time. 

Steven quit while he was ahead which can’t have been an easy decision. However, looking back it’s easy to see it was a good decision. He has since gone on to enjoy even greater success through other business ventures, The Diary of a CEO Podcast and Dragon’s Den. 

Walking away while you’re winning keeps your motivation high and your achievements intact, so next time things are going great ask yourself “Is it time to quit while I’m ahead?”

2) When the relationship is toxic

Have you ever experienced a toxic relationship? It could be with a friend, family member, or romantic partner. 

The problem is: most relationships start healthy but gradually turn toxic over time. This makes it hard to admit things have turned sour and recognize it’s time to walk away. 

Relationships should be a source of joy, happiness, and support in your life. If you’re maintaining relationships that are plagued with negativity, disrespect, and excessive criticism, it’s a toxic relationship and the best thing to do is walk away. 

Although walking away feels hard, doing so is protecting your mental health and well-being. The courage to leave usually leads to a healthier, happier life.

3) When you’re no longer being respected

Respect ​is recognizing someone else’s humanity or personhood. It’s fundamental to all relationships, be it personal or professional. 

As children, we’re taught to respect our elders. As adults, we tend to respect people for their impressive lifetime achievements or contributions to the world such as Barack Obama, Bill Gates, and Oprah Winfrey

The truth is: every human being, regardless of their social status, job title, achievements, or anything else is entitled to basic respect. 

Respect should be a non-negotiable and starts with respecting yourself. If you find yourself in a situation where your thoughts, ideas, or feelings are ignored or devalued, the only thing to do is walk away. 

Disrespect alone is bad enough, but if that disrespect comes along with our next moment, it’s a really bad situation that you need to leave immediately. 

4) When you’re being manipulated

Have you ever fallen for the tricks of a manipulator? Unfortunately, I have. 

Manipulation can go hand in hand with disrespect and is another hard one to spot because it usually comes from someone we know, trust, and care about. I fell into this trap with a close friend a few years back. 

The friendship was plagued with mind games, guilt trips, and anything that meant my ‘friend’ got her way. It took me a while, but when I realized, I walked away immediately. 

It’s not easy to end a friendship like that but there’s nothing else you can do in that situation. Manipulative people very often don’t even realize they’re doing it, it’s who they are and they won’t change anytime soon. 

The moment you sense manipulation, it’s time to say goodbye. Always remember, despite their attempts to control you, you’re free to make your own choices. And a manipulation-free life is always a happier healthier choice. 

5) When you’re not learning or growing anymore

“As human beings, we are always changing, growing, learning, having insights and becoming more fleshed-out, authentic versions of ourselves.” as noted by Mark Samuel, renowned accountability and business transformation expert.

Personal growth and development are often the points where our professional and personal lives intersect. We can grow both personally and professionally, and it benefits us in both areas.

But what happens when you’re no longer growing?

You might find yourself in this situation when you’ve been in the same job for a few years and it’s not challenging you anymore. You’ve got to a point where you’re comfortable and running on autopilot. Things are easy. 

Here’s the kicker: life’s not meant to be easy. Being stuck in the same old routine isn’t healthy. “Humans feel best when we’re growing. When we feel stagnant, it can trigger depression and a sense that our lives are not on track.” as outlined by Psychologist and author, Alice Boyes.

Life’s too short to stay still. When you’re no longer growing, it’s time to walk away. And if in doubt, always remember, “life begins at the end of our comfort zone” – Neale Donald Walsch.

6) When your values are compromised

Do you have a strong sense of what your values are? 

It’s probably not something we think about every day but we all have a set of values that we live by, consciously or not. They’re like your guiding light through life. 

When you feel like something is simply not the right thing to do or you feel uncomfortable being involved in certain things, it’s a sign they go against your values.

I once worked for a company whose motto seemed to be “sales has no morals” meaning they’d do anything to get the sale. I have morals and values that I won’t compromise on so I ended up walking away from that company for that reason. 

Staying true to your values has many benefits and it’s the key to being happy with who you are. It doesn’t matter what it is, when something or someone asks you to compromise your values, it’s best to walk away, it’s never worth it. 

7) When it’s negatively affecting your health

When asked what surprised him most about humanity, The Dalai Lama answered, “Man! Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health”

It’s all well and good to work hard and strive for money, status, success, and notoriety. But what good is any of that without good health? It’s meaningless. 

Your health is super important. And while most ill health you’ll face is out of our control, there are some things you can do to stay as healthy as possible.

One of those things is to walk away from anything that negatively affects your health, mental or physical. 

The moment you realize a situation is causing you continuous stress, anxiety, sleepless nights, or anything else unhealthy, the best thing to do is to leave that situation behind. 

It’s just not worth it. 

Final thoughts 

How many of these situations have you experienced? Did you walk away? 

Sometimes in life, instead of enduring, it’s about knowing when to quit.

Next time you hear yourself singing The Clash hit “Should I Stay or Should I Go” think about the moments we’ve talked about and make the best choice for you.