This is a dilemma that I grapple with often. When I am trying to accomplish a hard task, during the process I inevitably come to a fork in the road where I have to make a choice. Should I continue persevering or pivot in a new direction? Followed by the question: If I choose to quit, am I giving up too easily?

Recently I was faced with this choice yet again. And through the process of figuring things out, I had a moment of epiphany which made the decision making process clearer.

If I do persevere and accomplish my goal, when I am sixty and looking back, would I feel that the effort invested was a worthwhile use of my time?

The answer in this case was a resounding no.

Zooming out to see the big picture helped me understand my own motivations and evaluate whether the effort I was expending was aligned with my larger life goals.