Media release

From: Curtin University

Though many people may benefit from setting life goals, new research led by Curtin University has revealed working towards unachievable targets could in fact have a negative impact on overall wellbeing – and knowing when to abandon or change your goals may be just important as persistence.

The research, published in Nature Human Behaviour, looked at 235 studies with more than 1400 findings from multiple disciplines including psychology, health and social sciences, on how people adjust their goals when faced with obstacles.

The study found letting go of unattainable goals was linked to reduced stress, anxiety, and depression, while shifting to new goals was found to restore wellbeing and life satisfaction.

Lead researcher Dr Hugh Riddell, from the Curtin School of Population Health, said the study showed quitting isn’t always a sign of weakness.

“Sticking with impossible goals can take a real toll, with previous research suggesting it can lead to higher stress, poorer wellbeing and even physical health costs such as illness,” Dr Riddell said.

“But letting go and - crucially - reengaging with new goals, was found to restore purpose and wellbeing.

“Changing how you pursue your goals by being flexible rather than rigid could help people stay resilient and still have a focus in their lives, even if it has changed.”

Dr Riddell said the review revealed different predictors such as personality traits, coping styles, social support, and life circumstances can influence whether someone is more likely to let go, reengage, or adapt their goals.

“It isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, as different people take different paths and a wide range of things can all impact how we approach our goals in life,” Dr Riddell said.

“For example, someone’s motivation, age, stress management, strength of relationships, experiences growing up, health status and more were all found to play a part in how we approach our goals.

“This study essentially distils all the previous research down to a conceptual roadmap charting what kinds of things might contribute to adjusting one’s goals and how this might benefit a person.”

Dr Riddell said the next step in the research is to better understand when the right time is to stick to a plan or change things up.

“Finding out when exactly people should stick with their goals or change course, without giving up too early, is really the next piece of the puzzle,” Dr Riddell said.

The full paper is titled ‘A Meta-Analytic Review and Conceptual Model of the Antecedents and Outcomes of Goal Adjustment in Response to Striving Difficulties’ and published in Nature Human Behaviour.