The Courage to Leave Things Unfinished

November 5, 2025

Writer: Ivette Flores

One of the first principles I remember my parents instilling in me is: You finish what you started. Whatever you commit to, you follow through. And this is something I’ve grown up practicing and admiring in others. It always seemed to me like this was a good belief and quality to have – why would quitting ever be good?

But then, I came to college. A place with so many paths – from orgs, to classes, to jobs…  At first, I tried getting involved in absolutely everything. I began investing my energy into a multitude of projects and was the busiest and happiest I had ever been. Until, it all started piling up. My passion for some extracurriculars began dwindling, but I continued showing up because I had already committed. Slowly, many different to-dos began becoming chores, and my happiness began declining. I was no longer happy because of the busyness, but overwhelmed, frustrated, and burnt-out.

I began questioning why I was feeling this way and realized that many of the things I was investing my energy into, I was no longer passionate about. And not only that, but I wasn’t even showing up fully for the things I did love – my friends, my psychology org, running... I didn’t want to “quit” anything I had already committed to, but a little bit of self-reflecting led me to realize that the person who had committed to all those different projects, wasn’t even me anymore. Throughout the months, I had grown emotionally and intellectually. Some of my interests had solidified, while others had softened out. And thus, I asked myself, “Why should I continue showing up for something that isn’t adding value to my life anymore?”.

Although this may seem like quitting, and some may consider it to be that, I find that it’s simply a reorientation of energy. We are not infinite beings who have unlimited energy. No longer following through with something that was once important, doesn’t mean you’re lazy – it means  you’re being more intentional  with your time and energy, and this is a very courageous step to take. Not everyone will respect your choices. Some may tell you leaving something unfinished is proof that you are not trustworthy or responsible. And while always leaving things unfinished may not be the healthiest, knowing when to walk away from what is no longer adding value to your life, is a lot of the time the healthiest and most responsible thing to do. It’s not always easy – I’ve been scared of other people’s opinions about my decision to step back – but in the end, it will be so worth it. Priorities change as we grow and transform, and sometimes, we have to leave things unfinished to dedicate our love and energy to what matters most.