When to Walk Away
Kenny Rogers said this most succinctly in the chorus to The Gambler--but knowing when to quit is important. The writer says:

I've been there. I've quit jobs, I've dropped classes, I've scaled back hobbies,
I've restructured friendships. After I made the hard choice to quit, I have
almost always felt that pit in my stomach melt away. I didn't feel like a loser.
I felt as if I had won myself back.Some signs that it might be time to quit (a
relationship, a job, a ministry, a committee):
You worry about it--a LOT.
While you are there, when you get home, and any time you know that you are going
to be there.
While you are there, you are conflicted. You feel like you are
doing things that you shouldn't be doing or it's causing you to react in ways
that make you uncomfortable.
You have tried to change the situation to no
avail.
You begin to feel as if there is no hope for change at all, and this
hopelessness leaks into other areas of your life, leaving you feeling defeated
in general.So, I'll ask again, but a little bit differently: How is what you are
doing affecting who you are? If it is not a positive affect, what in your life
needs a new start or a clean break?

This is my hearty AMEN and Me Too. [via] - Two more blogs to add to my reading list.
And no-- I am not announcing any shift on anything.
In libraries, we also need to think about when to quit programs, policies, procedures. Sometimes we need to back off and try again. On other occasions we can become so wrapped up in "winning" that we eventually lose--our self respect, our identity, our values. Even in the middle of a favorite program, we need to ask if it's time to quit and not just keep tweaking.
I guess this arises because it is the season for faculty contracts to surface, and maybe because I'm facing major expenses on my car. The checklist is looking mighty appropriate for the latter.