Goal Myopia
Most of us make decisions weighed down by past investment rather than focused on future possibilities, never asking if I started fresh today, knowing what I know now, would I choose this path? Forget the time you've spent, the money you've invested, or the effort you've put in. Does continuing forward serve you best right now? If not, you should quit.
Yes, quit.
We learn that quitting means giving up, that persistence always pays off, and these beliefs also trap us in situations that no longer serve us. As a result, every moment spent on a failing path is a moment missed, spent on something that could work better. When you refuse to quit an unfufilling job, you also refuse to take a job that could advance your career. When you won't leave an unhappy relationship, you choose to remain unavailable for a fulfilling one. When you continue to fund a failing investment, you prevent yourself from making a profitable one. Why do we do this?
There is a powerful psychological force that works against smart quitting decisions. When things go badly, we don't just stick with our original choice, and we often double down and work harder. This happens because humans hate feeling we've "wasted" previous efforts. We'd rather throw good money after bad than admit we made a mistake. This pattern appears everywhere in businesses funding doomed projects, governments escalating failing policies, and individuals staying stuck in expired situations.
When you catch yourself saying "I'm not ready to make a decision yet," try this instead: "For now, I believe staying on my current path remains my best option."
Now you are making a decision where you're deciding to continue as you are. This choice is valid, but you now make it consciously based on a genuine belief that your current course is optimal, not as a default because change feels scary.
Sometimes you genuinely need more information before switching directions. But often, what we call "needing more time to decide" is fear of change in disguise. We stay paralyzed not because we lack information, but because our brains fear losses more intensely than we anticipate equivalent gains. Yes, every decision involves uncertainty, and that's unavoidable. However, recognizing that you'll never have perfect information can liberate you from the unattainable need of eliminating uncertainty and move you towards making the best decision you can with available information while remaining flexible enough to change course when new information emerges.
The ability to quit strategically might be the most valuable skill you can develop because it allows you to adapt as circumstances change, cut losses when necessary, and remain open to better opportunities.