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Christian Coaching School PodcastAuthor: Dr. Leelo Bush, originator of Spirit-Led, Christian Life Coaching and Master Coach trainer Language: en Genres: Business, Careers, Education, Self-Improvement Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Quitting
Tuesday, 23 September, 2025
Episode Summary Many believers start strong then quietly stop when it gets uncomfortable. This episode reframes quitting as a learned habit you can unlearn by renewing your mind in God’s Word. Dr. Leelo Bush walks through brain science, Scripture, and practical tools to choose commitment over comfort and finish the work God assigned to you. What You’ll Learn Why quitting often feels like relief (and why that’s deceptive). How your “primitive brain” rewards escape and how to retrain it. A simple plan to turn commitment into a covenant. Practical steps: identify excuses, if-then plans, embrace B-minus work, track reps. When a short “reset” helps without abandoning your calling. Quotable Moment (literal) “Quitting sneaks in disguised as relief, but in reality it robs us of growth, joy, and the results God wants for our lives.” Scriptures Mentioned James 1:4 — perseverance completes maturity. Romans 12:2 — be transformed by renewing your mind. Resources PCCCA Courses: https://pccca.org/courses/ Healing the Grieving Brain Guide: https://griefcoachu.com/healing/ The Comprehensive Christian Coach Handbook (Dr. Leelo Bush): Amazon link Courageous Christian Coaching Tribe (Facebook group): facebook.com/groups/courageouschristiancoachingtribe 📄 Full Clean Transcript Have you ever noticed how easy it is to start something a new habit, a ministry project, even a dream God placed in your heart and then quietly set it aside when it gets uncomfortable? Quitting sneaks in disguised as relief, but in reality it robs us of growth, joy, and the results God wants for our lives. Today, we're talking about a habit many of us know all too well quitting and more importantly, how to quit quitting. Welcome to the Christian Coaching School podcast. I'm your host, Doctor Leelo Busch. I'm a master coach, author, curriculum creator and the number one authority on Spirit-led Christian coaching. I've trained tens of thousands worldwide since 2003, and if you are ready to uplevel your skills, find greater fulfillment, and employ the most powerful coaching available to mankind, let's go. Welcome back to the Christian Coaching School podcast. I'm Doctor Leelo Busch, your host. I have spent over two decades equipping Christians around the world to coach, counsel and minister with confidence. This podcast is where faith meets practical tools, where you will find biblical truth, encouragement, and the strategies you need to fulfill God's call on your life. Whether you're new to coaching or you've been serving for years, my goal is to inspire you, strengthen you, and give you steps that you can take right now to grow in your calling. If you've been spinning your wheels, making commitments, but never fully seeing them through, this message is for you. We're going to look at why quitting feels so tempting and how it can become a practiced habit, and what you can do to remove it as an option altogether. We'll also talk about how faith, resilience, and God's Word equip us to keep moving forward, even when it's uncomfortable. And here's the truth. Quitting is not just a one time decision. It's actually a habit. And like any habit, the more we practice it, the better we get at it. Think about it. If you practice overeating, you get good at overeating. If you practice procrastinating, you get really good at putting things off. And if you practice quitting, you get skilled at giving up. You may not even call it quitting. Instead, you justify it. You say, I'm too tired. It's not the right season. Maybe later. I remember early in my coaching journey, when I had this huge vision for what God wanted me to build. But then came the setbacks. Technical hurdles, unexpected bills, long days with very little visible progress. There were moments I thought maybe I misunderstood. Maybe this isn't for me. Quitting whispered promises of relief. But deep down, I knew that giving up would cost me far more than the discomfort of pushing forward. The fact that you even commit to something proves there's a spark in you that wants more. That spark is God's calling. Don't let quitting snuff it out. Scripture says in James chapter one verse four, let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Perseverance requires us to stay in the process. If we jump ship too soon, we rob ourselves of the maturity and strength God is trying to form in us. Now let's look at what's really going on in your brain when you feel like quitting. Because understanding it takes away some of the mystery and even the shame. God designed our brains with layers. The oldest part, often called our primitive brain, is focused on survival. Its job is to keep us alive by seeking pleasure, avoiding pain, and conserving energy. That's why eating a donut feels good. Running from discomfort feels smart, and lying on the couch feels like the best idea you've had all day, right? Your brain is trying to protect you. Here's the problem. What protected us in the wild doesn't always help us fulfill our God given calling today. Our primitive brain doesn't know the difference between facing a lion and facing the blank page on the book manuscript. Right? It doesn't know the difference between real danger and simple discomfort. So it sounds the alarm. This is too hard. Let's quit. And when you listen and give in, your brain rewards you. It releases dopamine that feel good chemical as if to say good job. You survived. That's why quitting feels like such a relief. Your body relaxes. You think, “Whew, I don't have to do this anymore.” But here's the catch. The more often you quit, the more your brain learns that quitting equals safety. Over time, the pathway gets stronger, like a well-worn trail in the woods. Your brain gets faster at leading you down that quitting path. You are literally training your brain to give up. Now, the good news is that you can train your brain the other way too. God gave you a higher part of your brain, the prefrontal cortex, that allows you to plan, reason and choose long term goals over short term comfort. When you set a commitment, when you remind yourself of your why and when you keep showing up, even when you don't feel like it, you strengthen that part of your brain. You're teaching it a new pathway. Commitment equals growth. It's like exercising a muscle. The first few reps feel shaky. Your brain screams, stop! This is uncomfortable. But each time you push through, you are rewiring your brain. And over time, it gets easier. You feel stronger. Quitting loses its grip because your brain has learned a better reward system. The joy and satisfaction of following through. So next time you feel like quitting, pause. And remember this isn't weakness. It's biology. Your primitive brain is doing what it was wired to do, but you are not stuck with that wiring. Romans chapter 12, verse two tells us, do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Renewing your mind is more than spiritual. It's also neurological. Each choice to stay committed is a small act of transformation. And every time you refuse to quit, you are reshaping your brain to align with God's call on your life. Now let's talk about commitment in everyday life. Quitting may bring a moment of relief, but it's deceptive. Rest restores you. Quitting arrests you. The secret is to treat commitment like a covenant. When I married my husband, I didn't leave the door open for further options. That decision gave me peace and freedom, and I'm sure Evan's happy about that too. The same is true when you covenant with yourself and with God, that quitting is no longer on the table. You don't have to keep debating it. You just get on with the work. And speaking of stepping into what God's called you to do, this is exactly why I am so passionate about equipping more Christians to serve with confidence in their calling. Right now is enrollment season for our Christian coaching, counseling and specialty coaching training and certification programs. These are the very programs that give you the skills, tools, and credentials to help others create transformation while growing in your own walk and purpose. If you've been feeling that nudge from the Lord to step forward in ministry or coaching, this is the perfect time to say yes. You can find all the details and enroll today at PCCCA.org/courses. Let's get you trained, certified, and ready to make an even greater kingdom impact. So how do you practically quit quitting? Start by recognizing your personal excuses. Write down the top three justifications you tend to use. Maybe it's I'm too busy, or I'm too tired, or I'm confused. Once you name them, they lose their power. Then create an if-then plan. If I think I'm too tired, then I will still do five minutes of action. Just five minutes keeps the flame alive. Next, give yourself permission to embrace B minus work. Perfectionism is often a mask for fear. Do it messy. Do it imperfectly, but do it. You can always improve on it later. And track your reps, not just your results. Did you show up today? That's what matters. Each rep strengthens your resilience muscle. Just like a toddler learning to walk. They get strong by falling and then getting back up. Falling isn't failure, but staying down is. Here's an unexpected tip. Sometimes quitting can actually help you, but only if you use it as a reset. If you're exhausted, on the verge of burnout, and feel like you just can't go on, give yourself permission to quit for now. Maybe it's just the rest of the day or even a few hours. Step away. Breathe. Take a nap. Go outside. You will feel your body relax, your mind grow quiet and your spirit reset. This is not quitting your calling. It's pressing reset. It's restorative. Call it what feels best for you. A pause. A reset. A mini Sabbath. The relief is real, but it doesn't derail your bigger mission. In fact, it gives you the strength to come back renewed. My friend, quitting is not your destiny. It's just a habit. And habits can be broken. You are called to persevere, to finish your race, and to step into the fullness of what God designed you to do. So here's my challenge. Make a 30 day no quit vow. Write it down in one sentence. Post it where you can see it. And when excuses rise up, remember you're not confused, you're just uncomfortable. And discomfort is the gym where your faith and resilience grow. And if you truly feel exhausted, give yourself permission to use what I call the reset. Quit for a few hours or even the rest of the day, and let your body and mind recover. It isn't abandoning your calling. It's stewardship. Stay with it. Your breakthrough is closer than you think. Before we close today, I want to share a podcast review from Fresh Brewed, one of my longtime listeners. The review says you don't have to be a Christian life coach to benefit from Doctor Bush's podcast. She delivers thought-provoking perspectives that often challenge conventional thinking. Her reassuring voice delivers a hopeful message to listeners that is faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I've been following her work since 2007. These most recent creations are, in my opinion, some of her best work. Thank you so much for taking the time to write this. To show my appreciation, I'm awarding you a $25 Amazon gift card. Please contact me at admin@pccca.org within the next seven days to claim your gift. And thank you to all of you for listening. If you'd like to be entered into our listener drawing for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card, just leave a review for the podcast. You can do that at either Apple Podcasts or right on our podcast page on our website. You'll find all the links mentioned in the show notes. I'm Doctor Leelo Bush, and you've been listening to the Christian Coaching School podcast. Carry what you've learned today into the lives of those who need it most. And I'll meet you in the next episode. Before you go, I want to personally invite you to join our private Facebook group, The Courageous Christian Coaching Tribe. This is where bold, Spirit-led coaches and aspiring coaches gather to grow, get equipped, and stay encouraged together. Inside, you'll find exclusive tips, training, supportive community, and the kind of kingdom-minded conversations you just can't find anywhere else. If you're feeling called to coach or if you want to stay sharp in your calling, this is your place. Our group culture is “each one, bring one.” So invite a friend to join you. The more the merrier. Just go to facebook.com/groups/courageouschristiancoachingtribe. Or just tap the link in the show notes. But don't wait, because the sooner you join, the sooner we can start pouring into you. And I will see you inside the tribe.
