Oct. 3, 2025

🌓277. The Hidden Power of Quitting feat. Alan Weiss (Weekend Rewind)

🌓277. The Hidden Power of Quitting feat. Alan Weiss (Weekend Rewind)
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🌓277. The Hidden Power of Quitting feat. Alan Weiss (Weekend Rewind)

This week on Talk the Walk, Alan and I riff on quitting—firing clients, pausing projects, and stopping things that technically ā€œworkā€ but don’t work for you anymore. We dig into ego, sunk-cost traps, scope creep, and how to communicate a graceful stop without burning bridges. Alan shares a simple pre-flight test to help you avoid quitting later by deciding smarter upfront.

In this episode

  • Why ā€œdon’t be a quitterā€ is terrible advice for grown-ups with goals
  • Alan’s 5 When-Not-to-Start filters (my new decision cheat sheet)
  • Preventing scope creep with pragmatic curiosity (ask before you say yes)
  • Temporary quits, partial quits, and getting help to stop
  • Feedback without pity: choosing truth-tellers and being one
  • Sunk costs vs. smart experiments (market first, build later)
  • How to cancel or pause publicly without drama (and keep goodwill)
  • What consultants should quit immediately (hello, time-sink social!)
  • Raising value before raising fees (Peloton did this well)
  • The monkey bars analogy: you can’t reach out unless you let go

My takeaways

  • Ask a better first question: not ā€œCan I help?ā€ (always yes), but ā€œWhat’s in it for me—learning, growth, low labor, fair revenue?ā€
  • Five red flags = don’t start: low interest, little learning, no growth path, poor revenue, excessive labor.
  • Curiosity saves you later: clarify sites, scope, timelines, decision rights before you commit.
  • Quitting can be temporary: pausing ≠ failing. Partial stops count.
  • Truth > cheerleading: select 2–3 people who’ve proven they’ll tell you the truth.
  • Market → then make: sell the outcome, then build the content once you have critical mass.
  • Value drives fees: explain the added value before you adjust price.

Favorite moments & quotables

  • ā€œIf you never let go, you’ll never reach out.ā€ (Monkey bars!)
  • ā€œIt’s better to ask when not to start than wonder when to stop.ā€
  • ā€œThe way to be successful isn’t to raise fees—it’s to raise value.ā€
  • ā€œBe empathetic with feedback, never pitying.ā€

Tiny scripts you can steal

  • After you blurted ā€˜yes’: ā€œOn reflection, I’m not the right person for you. I can suggest the kind of expert who’d be a better fit.ā€
  • Cancelling with class: ā€œWe don’t have critical mass for the learning dynamic. I won’t waste your time—I’ll let you know if we reschedule.ā€

Shout-outs & references

  • Hugh Jackman (Alan’s NYC weekend plans!)
  • Peloton’s price-rise email framed through added value


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