Quitters Can Be Winners

In (the original)  Rocky movie, Sylvester Stallone plays a fighter who never gives up - even when the champ is beating the crap out of him. The Rocky character's dream was to "go the distance" with the champ, and seemingly gave everything he had to get there.

But is it always a great idea to never give up, no matter what? Probably not, according to some psychological research cited in Psychology: Why Quitting is Good for You  - Newsweek Mind Matters - MSNBC.com .

The study divided its subjects into Bulldogs (who never give up) and Quitters (who ... you know.) It seems the Bulldogs run into more problems with stress and health than the Quitters.

But is giving up really the bugaboo that society sometimes makes it? Writer and blogger Wray Herbert puts a different spin on it:

It’s said that depressed people have a more realistic view of the world, and in fact some evolutionary psychologists now believe that depression may have had survival value when we were evolving on the savannahs. Depression is what told our bodies to slow down and take stock of the situation, be cautious, don’t dis the silverback. Today a little melancholy might help us give up on that Olympic gold, and in the long run avoid killers like diabetes and heart disease.

Don't get me wrong here; taking on a challenge is usually a good motivator. But when the goal becomes realistically unattainable, it may be time to reassess. That doesn't alway make for a great story though.