How to Know When to Pivot, Rest, or Quit

When do you pivot, rest, or quit?

As a purpose-driven coach, healer or wellness entrepreneur, you may find yourself in challenging times. Maybe you’re not getting the results you want. Or you’re not feeling inspired by what you’re doing. Or things just aren’t working.

In those cases, how do you know when it’s time to pivot, rest or quit?

When you feel confused, lackluster about your work, or called toward something else, it can be a challenge to figure out: What should I do about this?

Understanding when to shift gears, take a break, or make an exit is important — for both you and your business. Let’s dive into the signs to know when it’s best to rest, quit, or pivot your business.

Pay attention to the signs it’s time to pivot, rest or quit

Sometimes, your business simply needs to pivot to meet the new needs of the market or the desires of your niche or client base.

Other times, you might be approaching burnout and what you really need is a rest.

In some cases, you may feel like you’ve been trying and toiling for a long time with no results, and you are simply ready to throw in the towel and move on to something else. 

After going through this cycle a few times myself, and witnessing it in my clients, I’ve realized how critical it is to understand where you’re at before deciding how to move forward.

When should you pivot your business?

Pivoting often signals growth and change in your business vision. Maybe you’re being pulled toward a new direction, audience, or offering that excites you. Or maybe the market has shifted, and you sense your services need to evolve to stay relevant.

Sometimes you’re doing all you need to do to keep your business running, to serve your clients, to bring in new clients. But inside, you’re feeling called toward something else.

The “something else” could be a new skill or passion you’ve just discovered, a new way you want of serving clients, a new offering that you’d love to sell. Maybe you have a gut feeling that you want to take your business in a different direction. Maybe clients are showing up at your door wanting something different than what you have to offer. 

Feeling this call or urge to do things differently is a real sign that you’ve grown — and that it’s time to pivot your business accordingly. 

Signs you might need to pivot your business:

• You feel called to another way of doing business
  
• You want to serve another audience or a different niche
  
• You’ve discovered a new skill or passion you want to incorporate
• You’re no longer feeling lit up by what you’re doing
  

What to do when it’s time to pivot:

• Bring awareness to and find clarity on what new direction, offering, or audience you’re feeling called to.
  
• Consider what is currently bringing you joy in your business and what isn’t.
• Ask yourself: What changes would you make if you knew you would be successful? 
• Give yourself time and space before you take action. Allow yourself to explore baby steps you might take before making a big leap.
  
• Do more research. If you want to serve another client base, interview them to learn more about what they want and whether or not your idea could serve them.

You don’t need to stay in a certain way of doing business just because you started with that idea or even because you’re successful with it. If it’s really time to pivot, pay attention to the signs and start experimenting with what could be next for you.

How to know when it’s time to rest 

One key glaring sign that it’s time to rest is that your mind and body are craving a break. Burnout, exhaustion, and just feeling tired or lethargic about your business activities can be a red flag that it’s time to rest.

Sounds obvious, but many times, we experience the warning signs but still don’t take any action. If you don’t take action, soon enough you’ll find yourself burned out,  and you want to avoid that!. 

Signs it’s time to rest:

• You’re tired or approaching burnout
• You enjoy the work you do, but you’re feeling maxxed out
• You look forward to your days off simply so you can have a break
• You’re working round the clock
• You’ve gone through a particularly stressful or busy time

If any of these sound familiar, you’re being called to REST.

What to do when it’s time to rest:

• Allow yourself to take a break, even if just for a day, few days, or week.
  
• Start building more white space and breaks into your daily life. 
• Take more time off — at least 1-2 entire days off within the week. 
• Make time for the non-work things you enjoy. 
• Examine your business boundaries and see what new boundaries you may need to set.

When you are approaching burnout, its important to take note early so you can fix it. If you’ve been working too much or if life simply has placed other demands on you, you must compensate by giving yourself generous amounts of down time until you feel yourself again.

How to know if it’s time to quit

Sometimes, it’s simply time to quit. I don’t mean quit and retire, I mean quit your business as it stands currently.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with quitting something that you are no longer aligned with. In fact, it is a part of business and life.

Quitting may look like shutting down your business and starting a new business, starting a job, freelancing, volunteering, going back to school, or doing something else entirely. (It could also mean shutting down your business as it stands and recreating it.)

If the thought of running your business does not excite you and motivate you (because you definitely need motivation to keep running your business!), it’s time for something new. 

Signs it might be time to quit:

• You’ve made adjustments or pivots in your business, but none of them make you feel like you want to keep doing what you’re doing.
• You’re not burned out and you don’t want to tweak anything, you want something new.
• You feel called to a new career or a new line of work that is totally different from what you are doing.
• You’ve gone through some massive personal change and growth your current business no longer suits the person you are now. 
• You get excited and/or relieved when you think of quitting your business.

 If any of these sound familiar, you might be called to QUIT.

What to do when it’s time to quit:

• Give yourself patience and understanding that what you once wanted is no longer in alignment with where you are now.
  
• Create time to explore your options outside of your current business. 
• Get back to your values and understanding what really matters to you. What are your priorities and needs at this point in your life?
• Understand what needs your business is not meeting right now.
• Develop a transition plan that allows you to make enough money while figuring out your next step.

If the idea of quitting feels freeing, it may mean you’re ready for the next adventure. Listen to your intuition and honor what feels right.

Is it time to pivot, rest, or quit? There’s no wrong answer

There is only the best option for you RIGHT NOW. 

Expansion is a part of the game, which means that your business and life will continue to evolve as you do. This is a part of the process, and even though it might feel uncomfortable, it’s necessary to get to the next level.

So whatever your choice is — to pivot, rest, or quit — honor yourself for getting here and know that you have the ability to evolve into the next iteration of you.