# Fear of quitting?



## IRNjuggle28 (Mar 24, 2015)

I've barely cubed at all the last few weeks, and barely been on the forum at all. I still pick up 3x3s and do occasional solves, but the thought of going to the room in my house that has good lighting and spending hours trying to break PBs just doesn't seem appealing, and hasn't for a while. I find myself wondering if I'm going to lose interest in speedsolving altogether eventually, and the thought scares me. 

This seems ridiculous on many levels. First, I know I'm not quitting. I've been busier than usual the last few weeks and haven't had much time. Second, if I ever did quit, it would be because I wanted to, in which case, quitting wouldn't even be a negative thing. Why bother being afraid of it? Also, the very fact that quitting sounds like an scary idea to me shows that I'm not about to quit. Once I don't mind the idea of not cubing, I'll have something to be afraid of, but I sure shouldn't now. 

Do any of you feel this way about cubing or other hobbies? I remember feeling this way about juggling also, back when I used to do a lot of that. Maybe I'll start doing it again... I kind of miss it.


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## JemFish (Mar 24, 2015)

I think the time people usually feel like quitting is when they hit a long plateau and stay at the same altitude for a long time. Nothing exciting happens, no improvement can be seen, and no PBs get broken. The way to get more interested is to start climbing your mountain, rather than walking around it. This means learning new algs, or techniques, or maybe even learning a new method or event. I quitted cubing last year for about 2 months because there was nothing new I was learning, nothing exciting. Then my brother came back home with a 2x2x2 one day and I became more interested, and since then I've been learning all sorts of new things that keep cubing interesting. Things like:

OLLs
CLLs (and EG-1 and EG-2 and CLL+1 and CLL-1 etc. [I love 2x2])
Commutators
Big BLD
Look-ahead (argh!)
Breaking PBs and time barriers

Etc.

Just some of my thoughts.


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## DeeDubb (Mar 24, 2015)

You can take a month or two and just casually solve. I don't think I'll ever quit cubing, but I'll definitely quit trying to go after PBs at some point. If it's still fun, keep doing it, if it's not, don't.


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## Smiles (Mar 24, 2015)

*don't fight it.*

1. feel like quitting
2. fight it by forcing yourself to cube
3. not enjoyable because you forced yourself
4. more reason to quit

if it continues to the point where you want to quit, well then it's good because that's what you want.
maybe you're just more concerned about other things and you need to get those over with to get your cubing focus back.

either way, cube if you want to and don't if you don't want to.

You can force yourself to cube, but you can't force yourself to like cubing.


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## Username (Mar 24, 2015)

I had this feeling back when I took my longer break last year. Just pause, take a break from cubing for a week or two. Maybe try juggling again? If you still feel the same way try a longer period (maybe a month, two months?) You should definitely not fight the feeling, that just makes cubing even less enjoyable.


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## Chree (Mar 24, 2015)

I know there's more than enough people willing to persuade or encourage you to keep at it. Honestly, I'm in that camp. Speedcubing is a unique and challenging hobby with a lot going for it. But I really don't think you should be afraid of losing interest. You strike me as the kind of person that goes full throttle into whatever you're into at the time... a quality that I think it shared by a lot of speedcubers. It can be exhausting... and yeah, it can even be (on and off) boring. I also get kinda turned off by the idea of practicing from time to time. Short breaks usually help relieve me of the tedium. Just like Kim said.

But I've been into and out of a lot of extracurricular activities in my life. It takes no time at all before something else fills that void. Or maybe something else begins to interest me more and I refocus my passion there. This is a good thing. If another hobby or activity comes along and you put all your time and effort into becoming as great at that as you are at cubing, all the better. That's one more thing you get to say "I'm good at this" about. Or even "I'm great at it". Personally, I'm glad that I have at least a handful of things that I still love to do that are really fun and challenge me in different ways, cubing among them. The oldest among them being poi, which I'm just getting back into now that it's warming up again in the NW.

Cubing will still be there, and you can always come back to it. A lot of people even find that a nice long break does them good. Might be a little slower at first, but it always comes back. So don't be afraid.


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## Schmidt (Mar 24, 2015)

Minecraft has taken over my life, but I still cube every Tuesday (for the weekly competition) and I have a cube in my pocket of my winter coat, which I solve occasionally. And I go to the chess club on Thursdays.
But most of my spare time goes to minecraft(at the moment) "Everyday I'm shoveling"


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## MarcelP (Mar 24, 2015)

Schmidt said:


> Minecraft has taken over my life, but I still cube every Tuesday (for the weekly competition) and I have a cube in my pocket of my winter coat, which I solve occasionally. And I go to the chess club on Thursdays.
> But most of my spare time goes to minecraft(at the moment) "Everyday I'm shoveling"



I did not know you where a chess player.


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## Berd (Mar 24, 2015)

It's strange... In my nearly nearly a year cubing, I haven't felt like quiting once. ..


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## Ollie (Mar 24, 2015)

I've prolonged my quitting by practicing easy events like 2x2x2 and pyra, or just any event where I don't have to think as much - it saves energy for other stuff like organizing and judging (which I actually enjoy too). It turns out I actually really enjoy these events and it provides something for me to fall back onto when I inevitably fail in one of the BLD events.

But yeah, if I were to quit properly then it wouldn't be the cubing so much that I miss, but more the people.


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## ryanj92 (Mar 24, 2015)

DeeDubb said:


> If it's still fun, keep doing it, if it's not, don't.





Ollie said:


> But yeah, if I were to quit properly then it wouldn't be the cubing so much that I miss, but more the people.



These guys already said basically how I feel 
I've certainly had off weeks, but like you say, it's the weeks where I'm really busy, and even when I do get the chance, I'm tired so my times suffer...


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## Rubiks560 (Mar 24, 2015)

I've felt like this for 6 or more months now.

I can't tell you the amounts of times I've contemplated quitting. I've gotten slower, everyone's passing me, even when I get a PB there's no happiness, and I consistsntly fail at competitions. Seems like the perfect reason to quit to me. I think the only reason I haven't quit is because I know I can't leave my friends. I've built so many amazing friends in the community and it would suck to stop seeing them.

This hasn't worked for me, but I would suggest just solving when you feel like it. If you're busy, don't do it. You can come back to it whenever you feel like it.


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## SpeedCubeReview (Mar 24, 2015)

Don't cube with the goal of breaking your PB. Mehta might be the issue. At the beginning I was breaking my PB almost daily, if not weekly. Not its monthly, and I'm sure it will stretch farther in the future. 

Shape mods like the fisher 4x4 has sparked new interest. It's relaxing and satisfying to solve. I'm also having fun trying new algorithms. 

Remember why you picked up a cube in the first place. It was the satisfaction of the puzzle.


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## Rocky0701 (Mar 24, 2015)

Just try a different event, you will always be able to break PBs if you keep switching events.


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## DeeDubb (Mar 24, 2015)

Rubiks560 said:


> I've felt like this for 6 or more months now.
> 
> I can't tell you the amounts of times I've contemplated quitting. I've gotten slower, everyone's passing me, even when I get a PB there's no happiness, and I consistsntly fail at competitions. Seems like the perfect reason to quit to me. I think the only reason I haven't quit is because I know I can't leave my friends. I've built so many amazing friends in the community and it would suck to stop seeing them.
> 
> This hasn't worked for me, but I would suggest just solving when you feel like it. If you're busy, don't do it. You can come back to it whenever you feel like it.



That's a bummer to hear Chris. You're a motivating solver, and I'm pretty sure anyone fast at 2x2 has you to at least partially thank. Anyway, do what makes you happy.


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## Ninja Storm (Mar 24, 2015)

Cubing is a hobby. Quit if you want. Take a break if you want.

I don't do solves solely to become better. That's stupid. I do solves because I enjoy solving and because breaking PBs and cubing with friends is fun.

I think it's funny that my best year of cubing has been the year when I have spent _less_ time cubing, but when I only cube when I can focus and feel motivated to solve.


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## Animorpher13 (Mar 24, 2015)

I feel the same. Life is busy. It gets in the way. I have taken like a three week long break, and just a few days ago I found myself picking up a Ling Po and doing an Ao12. Stop for a while. You will probably find yourself gravitating back. Don't push for PB's and to learn new algs. Wait for the motivation. It will come. Have fun, but don't try to force something to be fun.


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## Kit Clement (Mar 24, 2015)

FMC is what keeps me motivated about cubing now. It forces me to learn new concepts about the cube, both during and between actual attempts. It's an incredibly up and down event -- I'll go from feeling like I'm terrible at FMC (see my BASC average ) to getting a few awesome solutions and feeling great. The variability of the event I feel is a big part in what keeps me interested.

Not to mention that I've met so many awesome friends in cubing, and I don't think I could ever fully quit.


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## Nilsibert (Mar 24, 2015)

I have been cubing way less in the last month or 2 than I ever have. I mostly stopped practising anything other than 3x3 and maybe 4x4.
I just don't feel like it too often at the moment. I've also gotten a bit slower.
One of the reasons that could have lead to this is that I've gotten back into my (retro)game collecting and I finally have my E-Piano so I can start playing again. 
There's also a few personal problems that hold me back.

Also it's just frustrating; There's no way or time for me to practise more than 2 events seriously, even though there's at least 4 that I'm actually interested in getting better at. Even that takes up quite some time that I sometimes just don't have or I want to spend with other things (or people of course). So for the moment I pretty much never touch anything besides my 3x3 and my 4x4. And even then, I might do an avg50 or something, and a bunch of slow untimed solves to experiment and learn while I listen to a podcast or something.
In a whole year I still haven't learned COLL. I always started again and forgot algs over time. I always wanted to get decent at 2x2 and learn at least CLL and move to EG from there.
The problem is that I suck at learning algs and I just have problems bringing myself to learn a bunch and invest so much time into it.

tl;dr, I don't think I'll fully stop cubing. I'll just take it easy because really, there is no rush, no deadline, nothing like that. I've missed the last 2 competitions I could easily get to(although one is still ahead) because I don't feel it's worth it if I don't really practise much. And tbh, I just don't feel like it.


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## Randomno (Mar 24, 2015)

I quit before, I don't plan to quit again.


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## G2013 (Mar 24, 2015)

Well I only felt once the sensation of not wanting to cube. But that happens me almost always with everything (except with cubing [I'll explain that later in this text]).

I get a new hobby, then I do whatever that hobby implies for an indefinite time (could be 1 month, 2 months, maybe half an year, or maybe some weeks) then I get tired of it. I end up being good at that thing, then I pick up another hobby. That has happened to me with: Origami, Writing, Languages, Sudokus, etc.

I eventually do 1 or 2 sudokus, or do 1 or 2 origami things, or maybe start again with the hobby (right now it's languages).
But when a hobby really draws my total attention, cubing is put aside for some days.
For example, this year I only did 3 or 4 successful BLD solves. But I learnt a lot of Italian and German.

Idk do what you like


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## AlphaSheep (Mar 24, 2015)

I've only been speedcubing for a relatively short time, but I've been solving cubes casually for over 13 years. I don't think I'm ever going to quit completely. When I get bored of speedcubing (as I'm sure I will eventually), I will probably go back to just casually solving, and I don't see any reason to fear that.


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## Psyph3r (Mar 24, 2015)

I have also been cubing off and on for about 10 years now. Just recently picked up speed cubing (if you can call my times that). It's one thing to pump the breaks on practice but I would say you should try to at least stay in touch with friends you have made if nothing else. Nothing says that if you take a break or stop pushing yourself you can't still be a part of the community.


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## OkinawaSolver (Mar 24, 2015)

Psyph3r said:


> I have also been cubing off and on for about 10 years now. Just recently picked up speed cubing (if you can call my times that). It's one thing to pump the breaks on practice but I would say you should try to at least stay in touch with friends you have made if nothing else. Nothing says that if you take a break or stop pushing yourself you can't still be a part of the community.



Well said man.


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## Ross The Boss (Mar 24, 2015)

you can easily keep in touch with friends even though you've stopped practicing. a good friend ive made through this hobby hasnt competed/"practiced" for 2 years yet he still shows up to the toronto comps to hang out. 

i understand the fear/discomfort you feel. it is obviously the irrational to keep doing something even after it has become a chore, but (for me) there always seems to be some sort of personal obligation to continue with it. it happened to me when i did gymnastics and tricking and boxing and working out. its like i put so much value on those things and poured so much of my time and money and pride and effort into the hobby that i couldnt help but see myself as immoral for quitting. if you care about something to the point that your whole life revolves around it, the worst thing that can happen is losing it. so when your passion for the task leaves, your mind is just left there wondering what to do with its self. you have to compleatly reassess your sense of personal worth at that point. 

sorry for the rambling


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## CiaranBeahan (Mar 24, 2015)

I've never quit, I have a phobia of quitting cubing!


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## cmhardw (Mar 25, 2015)

To the OP: It is absolutely guaranteed that your feelings about cubing are going to change, many times, over the years. Embrace the change, cube if you want to and don't cube if you don't want to.



Ross The Boss said:


> you can easily keep in touch with friends even though you've stopped practicing. a good friend ive made through this hobby hasnt competed/"practiced" for 2 years yet he still shows up to the toronto comps to hang out.
> 
> i understand the fear/discomfort you feel. it is obviously the irrational to keep doing something even after it has become a chore, but (for me) there always seems to be some sort of personal obligation to continue with it. it happened to me when i did gymnastics and tricking and boxing and working out. its like i put so much value on those things and poured so much of my time and money and pride and effort into the hobby that i couldnt help but see myself as immoral for quitting. if you care about something to the point that your whole life revolves around it, the worst thing that can happen is losing it. so when your passion for the task leaves, your mind is just left there wondering what to do with its self. you have to compleatly reassess your sense of personal worth at that point.
> 
> sorry for the rambling



I feel a lot like this. I recently met up with Richard Patterson and Frank Morris this past weekend. It was awesome! I haven't seen Frank in 6 years and Richard in 8 years. We did very little cubing and mainly hung out, proof for me that the friendships you make in cubing go beyond just this shared hobby.

I also feel a sort of obligation to not quit cubing, since I've been in it for so long now and it has been such an influential part of my life. My level of interest had changed drastically since I first started, and now I practice only when I want to and while I am enjoying it. 

The biggest part that I am adjusting to now is how different the community feels when many of your closest cubing friends have retired or mostly left the sport while you're still in it. Not all of my good friends have left yet, and I'm making new friends of course and still enjoying it, which is why I am still around. It's an interesting dynamic that I am still adjusting to.

If you stay in it for a while, your cubing goes through many phases, and it's neat to me to see how they change over time.


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## ottozing (Mar 25, 2015)

I don't plan on quitting cubing any time soon, but the idea of quitting doesn't really scare me. I definitely feel fulfilled and happy with my accomplishments, so although I've invested a lot of time, money, and energy into this hobby, I don't think leaving it would make me feel "unfinished" if that makes sense. There's no doubt that I would miss the friends I've made and going to competitions if I quit, but if I were to no longer enjoy cubing or feel the need to go to competitions then that's that.


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## freshcuber (Mar 25, 2015)

This is my first post in I don't know how long and I just recently (within the past week) have returned with renewed interest. Seeing my averages spike is frustrating but I've only been casually (very casually) cubing the past couple years. I ended up burning myself out 'cause I was preparing for a competition in Cornell. I was cubing for times and speed, speed speed. I went to the competition, had a great time, and then didn't touch my cubes for a while after that. I started with 3x3 of course and the worked my way up to bigger and bigger cubes. 6x6 was my favorite event and now 4x4 is taking its place. I only say I'm "returning" to cubing because I just ordered a Moyu Aosu, my first new cube since 2011. What dragged me back into cubing wasn't the prospect of shattering PB's. I'd forgotten how to solve my megaminx and seeing that damn thing scrambled all the time finally drove me crazy enough to watch a video and get back to solving it. I just finished my first 3x3 Ao100 and I must say, it was a grind even though I did it over the course of a day. The idea of grinding another 100 solves or even doing 20 more 4x4 solves to get to an Ao50 right now is just not appealing. I'm gonna dig out my OLL flashcards and re-learn all those since I never really had them down. Going into auto-solve mode and cranking out a bajillion solves isn't exactly fun. 

I prefer to be challenged and when just solving stopped being a challenge I quit because cubing was no longer stimulating. Learning new algs, methods, BLD and how to solve my square-1 are what excites me now cause they're going to be challenging and new experiences. _Speed_cubing can definitely be fun, but don't let it get in the way of having a good time while cubing.


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## ZamHalen (Mar 25, 2015)

To be honest I'm on the verge of quitting now. I practice for maybe 30 minutes every two weeks now if anything. I haven't improved my times and haven't had a sub 10 single in over a year now. To be honest I do fear outright quitting if not solely due to the fact that I've invested so much time into this hobby just to see it go to waste. The reality is that I'm twenty now, and haven't seen anyone improve much further than I have at my age or older (with the exception of Maskow, but that guy's a freak of nature).Truth be told, the only thing keeping me from quitting is the fact that I started the Texas Speedcubing facebook group about a year ago to improve networking and haven't done anything since.

If I do quit though I doubt it will be permanently. I thought I had quit Yugioh about 5-6 years ago, but here I am now playing at an even higher level than I had before (admittedly this is probably why haven't done much cubing recently lol). If anything I might start practicing big cubes seeing that I never really gave them a chance and do find it interesting.


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