The Surprising Benefits of Giving Up

to explore

YYou may have been told in childhood to “hang in there,” as symbolized by the kitten hanging from a rope. But it turns out that giving up alcohol can often be the healthiest choice for you.

Researchers have long been trying to understand how hardiness is linked to personal well-being and human development more broadly. One poorly supported theory suggests that our ancestors were so determined to catch prey that they endured long runs in hot, dry environments.

New evidence suggests that giving up on difficult-to-achieve goals may actually be good for us. According to a review of more than 230 studies recently published in the journal nature human behaviorAdjusting your goals in response to stress or challenges, rather than moving forward, is often “a more appropriate and beneficial response.”

The authors of the comprehensive meta-analysis examined 235 studies spanning a variety of fields, including psychology, health, and social sciences, to examine how people change their goals after encountering barriers to success. The researchers wanted to consolidate this “fragmented” information and see how adjusting goals is related not only to psychological well-being but also to physical health, social functioning, and future ambitions. This allowed them to prepare a target “roadmap”.

Read more: “we can be Heroes,

“Persisting with impossible goals can cause real harm, with previous research showing that it can lead to physical health costs such as higher stress, poor health and even illness,” study author Hugh Riddell, a professor in the School of Population Health at Curtin University in Australia, said in a statement. “But letting go and – importantly – reconnecting with new goals was found to restore purpose and well-being.”

The team used statistical analysis to learn what causes people to move away from, adjust to, or reengage with goals. For example, alienation from goals was most strongly linked to an “action crisis” arising from negative reactions to these thoughts and one’s failure to overcome related obstacles. Our personality can also play a major role in these types of decisions: Optimism is strongly linked to one’s openness to modifying goals to better fit one’s skills and resources. The paper states, “These findings indicate that goal-striving flexibility is more likely to emerge when individuals feel secure, exhibit stable regulation, and have emotional flexibility.”

Scientists also analyzed the effects of these decisions. For example, setting goals was significantly linked to reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. And adopting new people was strongly associated with higher social and physical functioning. Finding new goals also led to moderate to large benefits in psychological functioning, sense of purpose in life, satisfaction, and personal growth.

This analysis comes with limitations, the authors acknowledge, due to the observational data collected at specific points in time and the risks of bias in the individual papers. The next step, they write, is to pinpoint the specific moment when people should reconsider their dreams or get stuck. “Finding out exactly when people should stick to their goals or change course without giving up too early is really the next piece of the puzzle,” Riddell said in the statement.

So whether you’re the type to stick with it until the bitter end or change course when you sense trouble ahead, there may be an optimal approach to help you achieve your goals or change.

Enjoying NautilusSubscribe to our free Newsletter,

Lead Image: Eamesbot/Shutterstock

• Molly Glick

  Posted on 17 November 2025

  Molly Glick is newsletter editor Nautilus,