Reflecting on the moment I accepted defeat in a Jiu Jitsu match brings back clear memories. If you missed it, check out the April 9th blog post titled “Choked Out by a 15 Year Old: Being Humble in Life and Business.” This article talked about my firsthand experience of being completely physically dominated, where if I kept fighting, I could have been seriously hurt, maybe even knocked out by my opponent’s chokehold. A little later, as we continued grappling, he quickly locked my shoulder, forcing me to surrender again.

Nobody wants to jump up and down and share to the world “Hey, I gave up”, or “I quit, woooohooooooo”. It is humbling, it can be embarrassing and it can create some negative emotions while going through the process to make that decision. The truth is that there are times in life and business where you should call it quits to avoid damage.

Revisiting last week’s blog, “Position before Submission,” reminds us that quitting isn’t always the best choice. There are tough times when giving up feels tempting, but there’s a point where you can keep going. You might need to adjust your strategy slightly, make some tweaks, and tough it out. In sports like Jiu Jitsu, if you don’t tap out when your opponent has you in an arm lock, you could get seriously hurt. I’ve seen it happen, and it’s not pretty. So, was refusing to tap worth risking injury?

In business and life, one must ask the same question. Is the result of not tapping, giving up and regrouping to fight another day worth what you are trying to accomplish. With greater goals and aspirations, some may say “yes”, some may say “no. The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward always comes into play. Just know what may break your arm, choke you out and possibly not allow you to fight another day. If it is worth the risk, then go for it. This is not about being a quitter.

It is okay to tap out. If you do, there are lessons to be learned, and you can come back stronger than before. You will be there to fight another day and most likely will not make the same mistake twice.

I hope you have enjoyed my “Lessons from the Mats” series. I look forward to your feedback and comments.