--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes you have to let go to see if…" description: "\"Sometimes you have to let go to see if there was anything worth holding onto.\" — Socrates" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/socrates-405_holding_sometimes-you-have-to-let-go-to-see-if-t_655679.jpg" --- # Sometimes you have to let go to see if there was anything… ![“Sometimes you have to let go to see if there was anything worth holding onto.” quote by Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/socrates-405_holding_sometimes-you-have-to-let-go-to-see-if-t_655679.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/socrates-405_holding_sometimes-you-have-to-let-go-to-see-if-t_655679.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/socrates-405_holding_sometimes-you-have-to-let-go-to-see-if-t_655679.jpg) > “Sometimes you have to let go to see if there was anything worth holding onto.” [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Letting go can reveal whether what we cling to truly matters. **In simple terms:** Release to discover value. Key Takeaway Assess attachments honestly. Themes attachment self‑discovery clarity Mood reflective contemplative Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - career decisions - material possessions Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What are you holding onto out of habit? - How would your life change if you released it? A Different Perspective Letting go may cause loss or regret. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Holding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holding/) [Holding on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holding-on/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Let Worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-worth-1373665/) [Letting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letting/) [Letting go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letting-go/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worth/) [Worth Holding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worth-holding-255912/) ## Related quotes > [“To the love that let me go so I could find the one worth holding on to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-michaels/to-the-love-that-let-me-go-so-i-could-find-the-one-worth-holding-on-to/) [Corinne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-michaels/) > [Sometimes you have to let go to see if there was anything worth holding on to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-you-have-to-let-go-to-see-if-there-was-anything-worth-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The worst mistake you can ever make is holding on to something not worth holding on to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-worst-mistake-you-can-ever-make-is-holding-on-to-something-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never give up on something that's worth holding onto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine/never-give-up-on-something-that-s-worth-holding-onto/) [Christine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine/) > [We all live and learn as we go, the hard part if figuring out whats worth holding on to, and what is better off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-all-live-and-learn-as-we-go-the-hard-part-if-figuring-out-whats/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never give up hope. For if hope is lost, there is nothing worth holding on to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-give-up-hope-for-if-hope-is-lost-there-is-nothing-worth-holding/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Before you let go of something dear to your heart, try imagining life without it. Then decide whether or not it's worth holding on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/before-you-let-go-of-something-dear-to-your-heart-try-imagining-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The key to being able to let go of all the stuff you're holding on to is knowing that you'll be okay if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-parkin/the-key-to-being-able-to-let-go-of-all-the-stuff-you-re-holding-on-to/) [John C. Parkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-parkin/) > [You cannot let go of anything if you cannot notice that you are holding it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-cannot-let-go-of-anything-if-you-cannot-notice-that-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Holding on to anything blocks wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/holding-on-to-anything-blocks-wisdom/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Honestly, don't you feel silly holding on to things that just keep on hurting you? Let go...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wandini/honestly-don-t-you-feel-silly-holding-on-to-things-that-just-keep-on/) [Wandini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wandini/) > [Why should I even bother holding on when there is nothing to hold on to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-should-i-even-bother-holding-on-when-there-is-nothing-to-hold-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Holding on is tougher than letting go or simply quitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/holding-on-is-tougher-than-letting-go-or-simply-quitting/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Holding on may sound like the brave thing to do, the right thing to do, but holding on doesn't make you strong. You hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-dye/holding-on-may-sound-like-the-brave-thing-to-do-the-right-thing-to-do/) [Melissa Dye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-dye/) > [Why was I holding on to something that would never be mine? But isn't that what people do?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/why-was-i-holding-on-to-something-that-would-never-be-mine-but-isn-t/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) ## More by Socrates > [By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/by-all-means-marry-if-you-get-a-good-wife-you-ll-be-happy-if-you-get/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Falling down is not a failure. Failure comes when you stay where you have fallen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/falling-down-is-not-a-failure-failure-comes-when-you-stay-where-you/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Do not go through life like leaf blown from here to there believing whatever you are told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/do-not-go-through-life-like-leaf-blown-from-here-to-there-believing/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [If the whole world depends on today's youth, I can't see the world lasting another 100 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/if-the-whole-world-depends-on-today-s-youth-i-can-t-see-the-world/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“I only know, I know nothing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-only-know-i-know-nothing/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-cannot-teach-anybody-anything-i-can-only-make-them-think/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [If measure and symmetry are absent from any composition in any degree, ruin awaits both the ingredients and the composition... Measure and symmetry are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/if-measure-and-symmetry-are-absent-from-any-composition-in-any-degree/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Marry a good woman, and be happy the rest of your life. Or, marry a bad, and become a good philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/marry-a-good-woman-and-be-happy-the-rest-of-your-life-or-marry-a-bad/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“For the fear of death is indeed the pretense of wisdom, and not real wisdom, being a pretense of knowing the unknown; and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/for-the-fear-of-death-is-indeed-the-pretense-of-wisdom-and-not-real/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [There is no difference between knowledge and temperance; for he who knows what is good and embraces it, who knows what is bad and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/there-is-no-difference-between-knowledge-and-temperance-for-he-who/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Besides, it is a shame to let yourself grow old through neglect before seeing how you can develop the maximum beauty and strength of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/besides-it-is-a-shame-to-let-yourself-grow-old-through-neglect-before/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [The greatest blessing granted to mankind come by way of madness, which is a divine gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-greatest-blessing-granted-to-mankind-come-by-way-of-madness-which/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [I desire only to know the truth, and to live as well as I can...And, to the utmost of my power, I exhort all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-desire-only-to-know-the-truth-and-to-live-as-well-as-i-can-and-to/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [So you would rather suffer an injustice than do an injustice?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/so-you-would-rather-suffer-an-injustice-than-do-an-injustice/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [The end of life is to be like unto God; and the soul following God, will be like unto Him; He being the beginning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-end-of-life-is-to-be-like-unto-god-and-the-soul-following-god/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) [Explore all 579 Socrates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) ## More Holding quotes > [We do not know which irresponsible Israeli prime minister will take office and decide to use nuclear weapons in the struggle against neighboring Arab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/we-do-not-know-which-irresponsible-israeli-prime-minister-will-take/) [Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/) > [If holding onto them requires you to lower your self-worth and self-respect let go of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/if-holding-onto-them-requires-you-to-lower-your-self-worth-and-self/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Like, you can't tell a certain race, like, 'You're supposed to act this way, and you're not supposed to act this way because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kreayshawn/like-you-can-t-tell-a-certain-race-like-you-re-supposed-to-act-this/) [Kreayshawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kreayshawn/) > [Hold tenderly that which you cherish, for it is precious and a tight grip may crush it. Do not let the fear of dropping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-alberti/hold-tenderly-that-which-you-cherish-for-it-is-precious-and-a-tight/) [Bob Alberti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-alberti/) > [I can conquer the world with one hand, as long as you are holding the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-smith/i-can-conquer-the-world-with-one-hand-as-long-as-you-are-holding-the/) [Megan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-smith/) > [“Holding something doesn't make it yours. You realize at some point you're just keeping it back for yourself, because it's pulling away with equal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-silvey/holding-something-doesn-t-make-it-yours-you-realize-at-some-point-you/) [Craig Silvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-silvey/) > [“Forgiveness is about letting go of the past and not holding on to it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/forgiveness-is-about-letting-go-of-the-past-and-not-holding-on-to-it/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [“Loneliness is holding the one you love / When you know you might never hold him again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/loneliness-is-holding-the-one-you-love-when-you-know-you-might-never/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [If you're throwing punches or exerting energy but you're not breathing, you're holding your breath. That actually saps your strength, it saps your stamina.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-jr/if-you-re-throwing-punches-or-exerting-energy-but-you-re-not/) [Chris Eubank Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-jr/) > [“There is always power in holding a secret.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/there-is-always-power-in-holding-a-secret/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [I'm still holding on to something that I know will never happen, because I have this little piece of hope that someday, it will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-still-holding-on-to-something-that-i-know-will-never-happen/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The real reason you struggling with letting go is because you keep holding on to what they use to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sweeney/the-real-reason-you-struggling-with-letting-go-is-because-you-keep/) [Ash Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sweeney/) > [“It's the touching they both long for. The holding. Spent their whole lives, each without any.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mcmann/it-s-the-touching-they-both-long-for-the-holding-spent-their-whole/) [Lisa McMann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mcmann/) > [I want to stay in the ocean. I'm not going to be able to do that from some holding cell in Japan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-want-to-stay-in-the-ocean-i-m-not-going-to-be-able-to-do-that-from/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [There's something so delicious about holding onto a secret; it's something just for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/there-s-something-so-delicious-about-holding-onto-a-secret-it-s/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) [Browse all 694 Holding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holding/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sometimes you have to let go to see if there was anything worth holding onto.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Socrates" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/sometimes-you-have-to-let-go-to-see-if-there-was-anything-worth/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Holding" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/sometimes-you-have-to-let-go-to-see-if-there-was-anything-worth/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/socrates-405_holding_sometimes-you-have-to-let-go-to-see-if-t_655679.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/socrates-405_holding_sometimes-you-have-to-let-go-to-see-if-t_655679.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bf6/socrates-405_holding_sometimes-you-have-to-let-go-to-see-if-t_655679.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sometimes you have to let go to see if there was anything worth holding onto.” — Socrates", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Socrates", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sometimes you have to let go...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/sometimes-you-have-to-let-go-to-see-if-there-was-anything-worth/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/sometimes-you-have-to-let-go-to-see-if-there-was-anything-worth/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```