This new year, maybe resolve to quit

What’s Happening

Here’s the thing: Western cultural stories tend to emphasize perseverance.

But science shows that knowing when to quit has a place in our success too. Column Science & Society This new year, maybe resolve to quit Quitting old goals frees up space for new ones By Sujata Gupta Social Sciences Writer at 9:00 am Most stories in the West emphasize persevering, often against all odds. (and honestly, same)

But sometimes quitting is the best path forward.

The Details

Malte Mueller/ this: via email (Opens in new window) Email Click to on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Click to on X (Opens in new window) X Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Listen to this article This is a human-written story voiced by AI. ) In the classic American folktale The Little Engine That Could, a small blue locomotive laboriously chugs up a hill hauling cars stuffed full of toys and food for children on the other side.

The train engine wills herself up the steep incline by chanting: “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. ” Stories of sticking things out, often under the most trying circumstances, dominate Western society and, by extension, psychological literature, says Andreea Gavrila, a psychological expert at Université du Québec à Montréal in Canada.

Why This Matters

“We value perseverance and persistence. ” for our We summarize the week’s scientific breakthroughs every Thursday. But this new year, instead of setting resolutions to lose weight, find true love, change careers or jump out of an airplane, Gavrila and others suggest that some people consider the opposite.

The scientific community tends to find developments like this significant.

Key Takeaways

• “It’s time to reassess at the end of the year, ‘What is something I don’t need in my life anymore?
• ’” says computational cognitive scientist Rachit Dubey of the University of California, Los Angeles.

The Bottom Line

’” says computational cognitive scientist Rachit Dubey of the University of California, Los Angeles. When goals become too financially or emotionally costly or discordant with where one is in life, they can trigger physical and mental health problems, considerable research shows.

What’s your take on this whole situation?