Most of us have been there. Morning arrives, we awaken with zero excitement and perhaps some dread of the workday ahead. Whether it's because the job is boring, we've climbed the ladder as far as we can go, coworkers make the daily task list difficult, or other influences make it a daily grind, sometimes we find ourselves considering what the right and wrong reasons to quit are.
It's a conundrum. Outside of a high work ethic and a distaste for quitting, we can also struggle with the concept of letting other coworkers down that we care about, leaving something unfinished, or maybe walking away from a dream we thought we wanted. And then, we can also question how our faith fits into it all. Does God want us to stick it out? Are we lacking faith in the concept that God can work things together for good? What if God has placed us here for a purpose, but we just don't like it? If we quit, do we disappoint God?
Taking a step back from the situation to manage the pros and cons is always a good idea. You can do the same thing with the concept of right and wrong reasons to quit too. Asking yourself the brutal questions—the questions we sometimes don't like to answer honestly—may help us arrive at a conclusion that, even if we don't like it, we can be satisfied that we came by the decision with thought and prayer.
So, let's break it down into some of these questions:
1. Am I reacting emotionally?
Of course, you are. Emotions are a given part of any daily experience, so don't discount those. The deeper part of this question could be reworded to ask, "am I reacting on emotional impulse" or "is this a knee-jerk reaction"? There is a difference between defined emotion and impulsive emotion.
Defined emotion means you can pinpoint what you're feeling, probably why you're feeling it, and you can identify if there is validity in the cause of these emotions. Impulsive emotion is the type that causes you to react rashly, or without thought, or purely based on anger, grief, despair, discouragement, and so on without considering the long term or the reasons behind it.
Emotions are important, and we shouldn't disregard them. But making a life-altering decision in the heat of emotion can be a dangerous thing. Throwing in the towel and walking out on a job because you're upset is very possibly the wrong reason to quit. The cause of your angst may be credible but rarely is it right to leave based on the thrust of heightened emotion.
2. Is this discouragement long-term or short-term?
Sometimes it's important to analyze the discouragement you're experiencing. Resigning from your position because of discouragement is a real reason that often stems from not being appreciated, valued, or honored for your work. In that circumstance, leaving may very well be a wise thing. Discontentment is one thing, but that slow draining of energy and joy that comes with day after day of being taken for granted or, worse, abused, may be the sign that it's time to look for something different.
Is your discouragement having long-term effects on your family? Your marriage? When joy disappears, your demeanor will change. The energy you can afford to give others wanes. It doesn't just affect your job, but also your home, your ministry, and often your mental health.
On the other hand, it's essential to gauge if this is a short-term discouragement. In other words, sometimes we must push through situations that aren't enjoyable and may last for the short-term, but it becomes a long-term investment. In other words, sometimes we need to stick it out, put our nose to the grind, and realize not every work experience is going to charm us. Some are steppingstones that are unfortunately necessary to get where we're trying to go. Discouragement and exhaustion can be part and parcel with that but knowing there is a light at the end of the tunnel means throwing in the towel may not be the wisest decision with the most favorable long-term effect.
3. Are your ethics being challenged or compromised?
This is a big one, and frankly, some find this the easier to define as right or wrong reasons to quit. But ask yourself this honestly because sometimes we don't realize our discouragement is coming from the fact that we're constantly having our ethics challenged.
Not much else grows frustration and discontent, like when you're fighting to stand for something in a workplace that is juxtaposed to your belief system or your ethics. When you're fighting against unethical job practices, dishonesty, agendas you cannot get behind, or what-have-you, it drains you without you even realizing it. Unless you believe you can influence change or are on a path to correct the problem, unethical work practices are usually best to distance yourself from. Not just because of the personal discouragement, but because the ramifications and fallout will include you in its shrapnel.
But it's also important to define whether your source of frustration is truly ethical or moral or if it's a personal preference in how to resolve or run a situation. Sometimes we like to pass things off as ethical because it makes a decision far more apparent. But if you just don't like the way something is being done, you need to weigh it with the question of whether you're being challenged to compromise ethically or to compromise from a deeply personal preference.
Every work situation is going to come with its caveats. There's not a one size fits all answer to right and wrong reasons to quit because so many variables affect it. But remember, ethics, morality, and convictions are undeniably areas you don't want to compromise on. That being said, you also want to be cautious not to have a knee-jerk reaction to your situation but weigh options and consider how you can impact and/or impact the situation. Mainly, taking your situation before the Lord in prayer is important. Also important is to realize that discouragement doesn't always mean a lack of faith or a lack of gratefulness for what you've been given. Sometimes, God even allows these feelings to help move you on and push you out into places He wants to see you go.
Quitting does not mean you lack something. Quitting often can mean you have the courage to move on and make a positive change in your life that will impact not only you but also your family. Taking time to consider carefully, pray diligently, and act calmly and cautiously, will set you up for making a wise decision, whether you quit your job or not. And nothing feels better than determining your future knowing you have sought wisdom. Lastly, seek wise counsel. By this, it doesn't necessarily mean counsel from someone you know will agree with you, but someone you can trust to be unbiased, to challenge you and your reasons, and to offer thoughtful advice. Taking all things into consideration is critical so that when you make that decision, you can smile as you walk away, or as you get ready for one more day.
Jaime Jo Wright is an ECPA and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author. Her novel “The House on Foster Hill” won the prestigious Christy Award and she continues to publish Gothic thrillers for the inspirational market. Jaime Jo resides in the woods of Wisconsin, lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures at jaimewrightbooks.com and at her podcast madlitmusings.com where she discusses the deeper issues of story and faith with fellow authors.