Summary

The author advocates for the practice of intentionally quitting certain aspects of life to create more focus and discipline, inspired by Bob Goff's concept of quitting something every Thursday.

Abstract

The article "Allow Yourself To Quit Things And See What Happens" discusses the author's struggle with FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), being a 'Yes Man', and the allure of 'Shiny New Objects', which lead to a lack of discipline and an inability to complete projects. Drawing inspiration from Bob Goff's book "Love Does," where Goff quits something every Thursday, the author introduces 'You're Fired Fridays' as a method of releasing things that no longer serve him. This approach is a form of mental and emotional spring cleaning, aimed at eliminating distractions and focusing on what truly matters. The author shares his personal journey of quitting his current job, which he describes as toxic, to return to a more fulfilling role with better work-life balance. He challenges readers to consider what they can 'fire' from their own lives to gain freedom and pursue their true passions.

Opinions

The author believes that constantly adding new commitments and interests without discarding others leads to clutter and undisciplined behavior.
He suggests that quitting or 'firing' things from one's life can create space for personal growth and focus on important tasks.
The author values mental margin and the ability to say no to commitments that do not align with personal success and well-being.
He emphasizes the importance of self-discipline in achieving productivity and success, particularly in the context of professional life.
The author views the act of quitting not as a failure but as a powerful choice to prioritize personal values and goals.
He encourages readers to actively engage in the process of letting go of unnecessary or harmful aspects of their lives to improve their overall quality of life.

Allow Yourself To Quit Things And See What Happens

Here's what I mean…

"You're fired."

Do you remember that ridiculous TV show that was on from 2004 to 2017 called The Apprentice? Yep, you know, the one with former President Trump where he would bring people in to judge their business skills.

And at the end of the episode, if you didn't do very well, you would ultimately get that infamous line where you were told to leave the show, "You're fired."

I never watched the show.

But I have seen enough memes and gifs using it to know exactly what was going on. Heck, I have probably used a few of them myself with different text messages or tweets.

But what does that have to do with my article today? The TV show has nothing to do with it, but the phrase "you're fired" has everything to do with it.

FOMO, Yes Man, and Shiny New Objects

I suffer from three things that many people in today's world struggle with, and I need to get over them. They are causing me to be undisciplined and keeping me from finishing every project I start. What are they? Well…

FOMO, the fear of missing out. I get this at a creator level every day. I see a new creator tool, new platform, or new way to try and make money and then think, "I can do that." So, I start but never finish.
Yes, Man, I am, unfortunately, a 'yes man.' When someone asks for help or has a project they want me to work on, I will say 'yes' without thinking. Then, I end up overstretched and fail to give my best work.
Shiny New Objects, I love to try new things before anyone else. I love to get new books, courses, and resources. I have about fifty Gumroad resources I have never started waiting for me to actually read. I love new, I struggle with what I have.

This might be a sign of my generation, or it might simply be me. Whatever it is, it is creating in me the inability to be disciplined.

And I need to break it.

You're Fired Fridays

I got this idea from Bob Goff and his book, Love Does.

In the book, he describes how, every Thursday, he quits something. Sometimes it's small, like he quits chewing gum or drinking soda. And other times, it is something bigger.

The idea is that by quitting things, he will create more space to see what is going on in the world around him and focus on things that really matter.

When I first read this, I was inspired.

I had started quitting things in my life I had been adding after getting my first 'real' job. I was adding and adding to my life, but it was cluttering my physical and mental spaces.

When I started quitting things before, it created space to start writing as a side hustle, and I ended up publishing my first book, Productivity Success. It was an amazing time.

And then, something happened.

We got busy. I started a new job. We had loss and hardship. A lot of things started going on in our lives, and I started hoarding things again. Trying to keep as many resources and experiences as I could.

Soon, I became overwhelmed by all the stuff. The digital, physical, and emotional stuff that I had accumulated. All of these things fed the big three problems I shared above.

Instead of quitting, I am firing.

This week, I realized it was time to do some spring cleaning. But, instead of quitting (a word I associate with walking away with my tail between my legs), I am going to fire things.

For some reason, this gives me a greater sense of power. Which is something I need to step into a little more to be self-disciplined. And so, Fridays for the rest of the year will be about firing something.

What am I firing today?

Today, I am firing my current job. It is the last day that I work in a terrible work situation before moving back to a previous role. Yep, that's right, I am taking a demotion.

I am wrapping everything up and leaving it behind to go back to a job that I was very successful at and allowed for more mental margin. Plus, it's in a department that values me and my family more than the current one.

So, a day job that has created hell in my life for the last two years… You're Fired.

Final Thoughts on Firing Fridays

It's time to take back a little freedom in our lives.

It's time to give up on FOMO, Shiny Objects, and being a Yes Man.

It's time to terminate our relationships with things that are keeping us from the things we want to be doing and could be giving us a better life.

Today is the day to fire something. Maybe it's something like the afternoon coffee. Or perhaps it is that relationship that is bringing you down.

Or maybe, it's simply turning your phone off after 7 pm to spend more time with your family or spouse or simply reading a book.

I want to challenge you to fire something today.

Take a look at your life. What is something that is excess? Could you live without it? If so, consider putting it on the chopping block and letting it lose.

If you can think of something right now, share it in the responses below!

J.R. Heimbigner is a #1 Bestselling Author on Amazon who loves helping people grow in their faith and help writers become authors. You can connect with him on Medium, his website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Substack!

Hey! Need help with your job? Check this out!

I wrote a book based on my experience with success! Five or six years ago, I was about to get fired. I was failing, and it was my fault. Finally, I had to get it together or hit the road.

In the middle of the night in the middle of this, I came up with a plan, and it is the basis for my book, Productivity Sucess.

In Productivity Success, I share what I learned about productivity, efficiency, and how to win at work. It outlines effective techniques to get ahead or get out of the hole that you might find yourself in right now.

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