I saw reports today that three national retail chains are shutting down or severely cutting back.

That puts me into a more reflective mood. I realize that there are indeed times where it’s appropriate to given in to the painful reality.

This has happened especially in the context of volunteer organizations. Sometimes there just isn’t enough heart and momentum to continue – like we saw many times during the pandemic.

Dealing with the logical part of the decision is relatively straightforward. Is there a reasonable path to return to success? Is there enough time, money and resources? Is it time to redefine “success”?

The harder part is the emotional turmoil. You may feel like you’ve failed everybody, especially yourself. You may have a leadership role where you have to admit defeat. You may shock and disappoint customers and partners.

That said, if you’re headed for the proverbial brick wall, the best thing you can do is to stop. Assess. Limit the damage.

We all have regrets in life; that’s part of being human. So maybe it’s time to give up and redirect.

But don’t forget to think through your deeper goals and values, to look for a possible path forward. It might just be worth the hard work.