Bill Watterson, creator of Calvin and Hobbes, did an interview. In it, a most magical quote: (emphasis mine)

It's always better to leave the party early. If I had rolled along with the strip's popularity and repeated myself for another five, 10 or 20 years, the people now "grieving" for "Calvin and Hobbes" would be wishing me dead and cursing newspapers for running tedious, ancient strips like mine instead of acquiring fresher, livelier talent. And I'd be agreeing with them.

I think some of the reason "Calvin and Hobbes" still finds an audience today is because I chose not to run the wheels off it.

I've never regretted stopping when I did.

This is one life skill I've yet to acquire. Knowing when to walk away. It's the secret to almost every facet in my life - the trick in blackjack and gambling in general is knowing when to walk away. Staying two hands too late can be too hands too many. Holding onto Tabulas three months too many led to it being nearly worthless today - oh well.

I've had a tendency to cling onto the last shred of comfort in situations I should let have let go. And the longer you hang out, the harder it is to let go.

But like all things, one has to find balance. The opposite approach of cutting things off too early and never being attached stunts your growth.

Oh, happy medium, where are you?