Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away
Praised by behavioural economists Daniel Kahneman and Richard Thaler, and described as 'engrossing and grounded in science' by Katy Milkman, this book arrives with serious intellectual backing. The central idea is genuinely unsettling: persistence, that virtue we're taught to worship, can quietly become the thing that holds us back. Annie Duke, a decision-making specialist with a background in professional poker, argues that knowing when to stop is just as important as knowing how to push forward. Sometimes more so. Drawing on fresh research and a varied cast of athletes, entrepreneurs, and entertainers, Duke unpacks the psychological forces that keep us clinging to failing careers, stagnant relationships, and sinking investments long after the warning signs have appeared. It's uncomfortable reading at times, and that's rather the point. The book tackles why walking away feels so unnatural, how to judge whether a situation calls for patience or a clean break, and why the right moment to quit almost always feels premature. That last point alone is worth sitting with. Practical without being prescriptive, 'Quit' gives readers a usable framework for some of life's harder decisions. It won't tell you what to do, but it will change how you think about staying.
- Author: Annie Duke
- Publisher: Ebury Edge
- Genre: Business Strategy
- ISBN: 978-1529146165
- Pages: 336 pages