Last weekend my wife and I were riding at a bike park in the mountains.

Knowing when to stop comes from an odd mix of instinct, knowledge and experience. And it applies to everything, from business and relationships to recreational activities.

There’s always a line or a moment when it’s best to call it a day. To call it quits and put an end to that thing, whether temporarily or for good.

It’s a time when you know, deep down, that trying to go any further will only lead to pain.

For us on the mountain, we were vibrating from adrenaline. But while only halfway through the second day of riding, we both knew that this would be our last run.

We were getting tired, ever so subtly. Our arms weren’t as strong and our minds weren’t as sharp as they needed for the split-second reactions required. If we pushed ourselves for one more run, we might have been fine. But misjudging a jump or hitting a tree at 40 kilometres an hour wasn’t worth the risk.

Even though we had spent a lot of money and effort for this weekend, pulling the plug a few hours early was the right call.

It’s the same with anything.

Stopping doesn’t always come easy, especially when you’ve invested so much. Pushing forward and giving it another go is always an option. And giving up too early can be just as harmful.

But when you know, you know.

And if you continue down that path, the risk will outweigh the reward indefinitely.