Check out super successful people sometime. When you do, you’ll notice a common trait.

The biggest winners are the best quitters. (Tweet This or Share on Facebook)

Successful people are seldom “well rounded.” In fact, that’s what makes them successful. Rather then doing many things halfway, they do one thing well. Nothing shocking yet—until you realize this singular focus was the result of QUITTING.

Successful people started out just like the rest of us—BUSY. But slowly over time, they began to QUIT all the activities (and at times even relationships) that threatened their ultimate vision.

Sounds a little edgy to me. What about you?

Quitting Takes Guts

Look at Jesus Christ and you’ll see one of the BEST QUITTERS. Look closer and you’ll also see he instructed his followers to be QUITTERS too (Luke 14:26). The thing about Jesus was that he didn’t care what people thought. Ironically, this independent attitude demanded a response. Some people loved him for it. Others hated him for it.

This uncommon characteristic caused SUCCESS Publisher Darren Hardy to rewrite his 2013 goal. Turns out he saw a bit of this trait exemplified in President Obama’s rise to power—disapproval that is. Weigh in how you’d like, but living with guts takes some serious guts.

Do you have any?

Quitting Takes Clarity

John Maxwell said, “To go up, you must give up. ” Better known as THE LAW OF SACRIFICE, this is QUITTING at its finest.

Winners QUIT because they HAVE clarity. They see sooner, further, and clearer.

Losers CLING because they LACK clarity. They see later, shorter, and foggier.

I QUIT my day job only after I could see my dream job. The decision was still difficult—don’t misunderstand me. However, it became easier the clearer my vision became. I no longer focused on what I was losing. But instead, on what I was gaining.

My path changed only after my perspective changed.

Quitting Takes Action

Quitting isn’t a passive experience. Quite the opposite. QUITTING IS an active endeavor. I find that with each passing day the options, the distractions, and the demands increase exponentially. Because of this I’ve changed my default answer from YES to NO. When “opportunity” comes knocking, I don’t answer the door anymore. Most of the time, it’s just an uninvited guest armed with their own agenda.

Trust me. I’m still learning the ART and SCIENCE of QUITTING. Over the past 15 years, I’ve had more GUTS, more CLARITY, and more ACTION.

I’ve QUIT on the dream of earning a PhD from Notre Dame, on moving up the ranks in Jiu Jitsu, on becoming a Teaching Pastor, on serving as a professor or in the Air Force, etc. etc. etc.

Every dream I let linger only adds noise to the melody line I’m perfecting. Most of all, I’m learning the Biggest Winners are the Best Quitters.

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QUESTION: What have you had to QUIT in order to WIN? (Please comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts. And if you know someone who needs to read this, please encourage them by sharing this post)