This book authored by Annie Duke is nothing less than a toolkit for mastering the skill of quitting and embracing it. Our reviewer Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta shares key highlights. Bookstrapping Rating: 3.5
Borrowing a few chips from poker player turned PhD- Annie Duke
Daniel Kahneman says that he learnt a lot from this book. Seth Godin calls it ‘life changing.’ All this for a book titled ‘Quit’? What are we missing here? Here’s what I can tell you- the science in the book is compelling. The science that guides us about when to ‘quit’ as against when to ‘persist.’ This book is especially important now. We were all compelled to make new choices thanks to the pandemic. New ways to earn, new ways to live and of course, ‘quitting on’ what was not working and facing the wrath of those who 'call you out' for quitting. The most exciting thing about this book is that author Annie Duke is perhaps the only female winner of the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champion. So she knows a thing or two about probability, taking chances and winning! This enhanced my reading experience of the book.
The classic dilemma of the quitter is that even as they quit- it seems that they're giving up too early. This causes more heartburn than the act of walking away. Does this resonate? Drawing on stories from top athletes to Everest climbers, comedians to musicians, Annie Duke explains why learning to quit well is often crucial to success.
In our culture, those who 'never quit' are heroes. But we must read between the lines. What about the opportunities we are neglecting? What does it cost us? The ‘fear of waste’ drives us to stick to things too long. But the admiration we have for the ones who stick to it, is a puzzle that remains unanswered.