It’s a tricky question, isn’t it?

When I’m reading a book or watching a film, I usually finish. Even if the book is tough going or the film is a bit of a slog, I push through. Why? Honestly, I’m not sure. Maybe it’s the guilt of seeing an unfinished book staring at me from the shelf, bookmark still wedged halfway through. Or maybe it’s just the nagging thought that I’ve already invested time, so I might as well see it through.

At what point do you decide something isn’t working and it’s time to stop?

But is that really the best use of time? Especially when there are so many great books out there waiting to be read?
It got me thinking about how this applies to business and projects. At what point do you decide something isn’t working and it’s time to stop?
It’s not easy, especially when you’ve already sunk so much time, effort, or money into it. There’s always that hope: “Maybe if I give it just a little more time, it’ll turn around.”

In the businesses I’ve worked on, we’ve sometimes put projects on pause. But looking back, some of those projects probably shouldn’t have been started in the first place. The problem? You can’t always know that upfront. Sometimes you just have to take a chance, get something started, and see where it leads.

The challenge, though, is recognizing when to step away. It’s not about failure—it’s about freeing up your time, energy, and resources for something better.

So here’s my question for you:

Do you always finish what you start, or do you have a process for deciding when it’s time to move on?

Have you ever stuck with something too long—or walked away too soon?
Let me know your thoughts—I’d love to hear how you approach this!