Ex-poker superstar Annie Duke, formerly known as “The Duchess of Poker,” believes that sometimes being a quitter is not as bad as people claim. In an interview with Reuters, Duke opposed the idea of “never giving up,” saying that sometimes it is best to cut your losses.
The Duchess Says Quitting Is Not Always Bad
Duke said that many people tend to stigmatize quitting as a bad thing when in reality, it is often the better choice. She said that the “quiet quitting” approach where employees slowly disengage from their work is a bad trend and advised people to learn when to walk away.
To better communicate this idea, Duke published a new book called “Quit: The Power of Knowing When To Walk Away.” In her new work, the former poker pro argues that quitting is a critical skill people should learn.
While Duke agrees that quitting recklessly is a bad thing, she believes people can intelligently quit their jobs, hobbies, bad habits or social circles when they’ve stopped bringing in value. For example, leaving a toxic relationship or a dead-end job is not a bad thing, Duke says, adding that giving up one thing will often make way for another.
Duke’s Advice to Her Fans and Readers
Duke’s book is based on several principles. First of all, she advises people to not postpone quitting indefinitely. She said that people who frequently find themselves thinking about quitting should have probably already done so. The former poker star added that people who stick to a bad job for a few more years ought to instead quit and use that time to build a better career.
Another crucial skill, Duke said, is knowing when to fold. She took a stance against the infamous sunk cost bias that is affecting people’s decisions. Like in gambling, people should know how to identify a losing game and cut their losses.
To help them with decision-making, Duke advises her readers to establish what she calls “kill criteria.” What she proposes, basically, is setting limits and markers prior to beginning a new activity. This way, knowing when to fold would be much easier.
Lastly, The Duchess of Poker advised people to get a “quitting coach” – someone who might not share the same biases as her readers and would help them make important decisions. She said that quitting coaches should be people who really care like family members or close friends.