| Sent Wednesday 30th of August
Hey there, here’s a question;
Have you ever found yourself emotionally stuck in a situation just because you’ve invested too much time, money, or emotion into it? Welcome to the world of the
Sunk Cost Fallacy
Sunk Cost Fallacy; a cognitive trap that’s likely affecting your Mental Fitness and decision-making more than you realize.
Imagine you’ve spent years in a career that looked promising but now leaves you feeling unfulfilled. You’ve invested time, money in education, and emotional energy. The thought of switching careers feels daunting. You think, “I’ve put in so much already; I can’t possibly walk away now.” That’s the Sunk Cost Fallacy holding you hostage.
Here’s the liberating truth: those years are gone; but your future isn’t. By recognizing this fallacy, you can make a career move that aligns with your current passions and skills, not just your past investments. The benefit? A more fulfilling life and improved Mental Fitness, because you’re making choices that align with your present self, not a version of you from years ago.
I’m not saying you have to go quit your job but you can see how we can get stuck into staying in places we’ve invested time, money and effort even though they might not be beneficial for us NOW.
Breaking free from the Sunk Cost Fallacy can be liberating. It empowers you to make decisions based on what truly adds value to your life right now, not what you’ve lost in the past. This shift in mindset can improve not just your Mental Fitness but also your overall well-being.
We tend to see this fallacy come to light the most in relationships; our emotions get involved. In ending relationships we generally overestimate the significance of feeling a large amount of pain today and underestimate the significance of feeling small amounts of pain over years and years. This isn’t just about intimate relationships, this includes friends, family and acquaintances as well.
So, here’s your challenge for the week: Identify one decision you’re grappling with that’s influenced by sunk costs. It could be anything—a project, a relationship, an investment. Re-evaluate it, focusing on the present and future benefits, not the past losses. Then, make a conscious choice to move forward, unburdened by sunk costs.
Until next time, much love,
If you were forwarded this message, sign up to receive it each week here. It’s free. I never spam.