Quitting: A Life Strategy: The Myth of Perseverance?and How the New Science of Giving Up Can Set You Free

Want to quit? Good. Learn to shape your life without fear—at work, at home, in relationships, and beyond.  

“Compelling,” (Cal Newport) “Liberating,” (Amy Dickinson) and “as entertaining as it is important” (Steven Levitt). 

Simone Biles quit the Olympics. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle quit The Firm. Millions of people have quit their jobs, seeking happiness and defining success on their own terms. Is it a mistake? As Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Julia Keller found out, it’s not. And, in fact, it might even save your life.

Diving into ‘the neuroscience of nope’ and the cultural messages that drive our reluctance to throw in the towel, Keller dismantles the myth of perseverance once and for all. Because grit isn't always great. Sticking it out doesn't always pay off. And quitting can be an unexpected act of self-love.

Quitting: A Life Strategy reminds us that, in order to live meaningful, satisfying lives, we have to be able to say “no”—full stop. With Keller’s guidance, readers will learn: 

• The art of the quasi quit.
• How quitting makes space for key breakthroughs.
• Why bootstrapping is a lie.  
• How to manage guilt and shame.

Weaving cutting-edge scientific research with incisive pop culture commentary and conversations with people who have made profound change in their own lives, Keller gives readers the confidence they need to pull the plug. 

"If you’re thinking about quitting a job or leaving a marriage, don’t—at least not until you have read this book.” ―Joseph T. Hallinan, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author of Why We Make Mistakes

Julia Keller, PhD, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, novelist, and teacher. She has a Ph.D. in English Literature from the Ohio State University, and has taught at Princeton University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Notre Dame. She was the chief book critic and a staff writer at The Chicago Tribune for many years, before quitting the world of daily journalism to write books. She was born and raised in West Virginia, and currently resides in Ohio.