Quit Early, Quit Often..

I just finished watching Prof Deepak Malhotras speech to the Graduating Class of Harvard MBAs. He mentioned 5 distinct points and backed them up with sound life experience. One thing that stuck in my mind was when he said Quit Early, Quit Often.. It's quite the contrary to what we have been told all our life. 'Never Give Up' - something my dad repeatedly chanted when i thought things were not going my way or lost confidence. 

How can you Quit and Never give up one would ask. They are two different things altogether?  I'd like to think Never Give up on Chasing your dream in the process you can quit all you want. Sounds easy right? What happens if you dont know what your dream is? What happens if you haven't figured out what you are meant to do with your life? When i was in high school i would look at all these girls who said "Oh i want to be this and that and what not" When someone asked me what i wanted to do, i would say "Oh well something that involves mathematics - that is all i know".. I didn't want to become a teacher, nor wanted to be a mathematician. I just wanted to do a subject with a significant math component. I hadn't figured out what i wanted to do then. I don't think i still have.. :S 

I can relate to a huge number of things i quit from but a significant portion of quitting, saying NO or refusing came together in June/July 2011 - The year of my graduation. More on this later.. :) 

At the end of his speech a graduate walked up to him and said "Well you say QUIT when you don't find that this is not what you want to do. It's easy when you are in your 20s to quit and do something else because you have no responsibilities and all you need to care about is your life. But as you age you have responsibilities, children, family, parents and quitting just may not be an option".. For which the professor replied that he lives a simple life. He doesn't invest in fancy things and has a whole lot of money deposited in the bank which he finds no use for. He did mention that this was the best gift he has given himself. The financial freedom to do what he wants without fearing that he will put his family in jeopardy. 

If you ask me if i will quit early or quit often - I say NO. I do not have the courage to do that now and will not do it.. But maybe some day i will.. :)