How do you know when it’s time to walk away from an investment, business or project? This common scenario is one that former professional poker player Annie Duke has faced many times in her personal and professional lives – enough that she felt compelled to write a guidebook to help others facing this type of dilemma. Her new book, Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away, offers a toolkit on how to decide whether to continue with something or walk away – and what to do next.
As a professional poker player who faced the decision whether to “hold ‘em or fold ‘em” countless times in her career, Duke learned that “optimal quitting” is the one skill that can separate great players from the hacks – in poker and life. The challenge, Duke found, is overcoming the negative assumptions that quitting indicates failure and weakness.
In this thoughtful session, Duke shares the upside of quitting with real-life examples that illustrate why quitting is sometimes the best option and why people often stick with situations that aren’t working. She also provides guidance on how to assess when it’s time to abandon something and how to make better decisions by increasing flexibility in goal setting, establishing “quitting contracts,” anticipating optionality, and conducting premortems. Whether you’re facing a do-or-die business decision or a powerful personal choice, expert-decision maker Annie Duke can help you master the art of quitting to lead you to your best next move.
