You’ve heard the saying often attributed to Vince Lombardi: “Winners never quit and quitters never win.”

That’s meant to encourage perseverance, and sometimes perseverance is exactly what we need. But taken literally, it’s not always good advice.

Sometimes quitting is the wiser choice.

Here are eight things you could quit right now that will make your life happier, richer and far more fulfilling:

1. Quit doing things that aren’t moving you closer to your goals. If you’re going to quit this, you need to first articulate your goals—professional and personal—and know what you have to do to reach them.
2. Quit making excuses. Excuses often shift responsibility to someone or something outside yourself. You may not be responsible for everything that happens to you, but take responsibility for the part that is yours.
3. Quit making room for things that consistently drain you without serving a worthwhile purpose. Not everything worth doing will make you happy. Responsibilities can be difficult, worthwhile goals can require sacrifice, and some seasons of life are simply hard. But if something repeatedly drains your energy or joy and there’s no meaningful reason to keep doing it, ask yourself why it’s still part of your life.
4. Quit doing things you know aren’t good for you emotionally or physically. Most of us have at least one habit we already know we’d be better off without. Be honest about what yours is, and take steps to change it.
5. Quit saying yes when you need to say no. Don’t say yes simply out of guilt, fear, habit, or a desire to please everyone. You have legitimate responsibilities you may not always want to fulfill, but you also have the right—and sometimes the responsibility—to set appropriate boundaries.
6. Quit refusing to take care of yourself because you’ve somehow come to believe that doing so is selfish. Taking care of yourself isn’t the same thing as putting yourself first all the time. It’s part of being a responsible steward of your health, energy, and abilities.
7. Quit holding onto things that are poisoning your life. Anger, grudges, resentment, and old hurts can continue shaping your choices and relationships long after the original event is over. Letting go doesn’t mean pretending the hurt didn’t happen, excusing bad behavior, or abandoning appropriate boundaries. It means refusing to let what happened keep controlling what happens next.
8. Quit letting people or things pull you away from God. Sometimes the biggest distractions aren’t obviously wrong. A relationship, ambition, activity, habit, or commitment can gradually become so important that it begins crowding God out. Pay attention to anything that consistently pulls your priorities, choices, or attention away from the faith you say matters most.

Quitting isn’t always giving up. Sometimes it’s making room for what matters more. Take an honest look at what you’re carrying, doing, or allowing in your life—and ask yourself whether there’s something you need to let go of.