Write a list of positive and negatives about giving up on a specific situation. Use this list to determine whether or not something is worth pursuing. Examine the benefits and consequences of continuing to pursue a certain situation. Ask yourself if the end result, whether you achieve it or not, is worth it.
Ask yourself how much control you have over the situation. If you are trying to convince someone else of something and are not having much luck, you may want to give up. For instance, if you have a friend whose alcoholism is destroying his life and you are trying to convince him to stop drinking, you may need to determine a quitting point. You can't control others. Trying to push your will onto someone else, particularly in this type of situation, can be frustrating and futile. When you find yourself in a situation you cannot control, it is often best to step back.
Assess the situation in full if you decide to begin doing something you have chosen to quit at some point in your past. Not everything you decide to quit is something you should never engage in again. Learning a new skill, starting a relationship over or pursuing a career that you may have given up on, are examples of things you may want to pick up at a later date. You may find out the decision you made to quit was the right decision. You may also discover that circumstances are different and those situations are worth pursuing again.