The sunk-cost trap — Psychology, 11–13 years
Time, money or effort already spent cannot be recovered, but it can still pull us into continuing.
What is already gone
A sunk cost is time, money or effort that has already been used and cannot be recovered. Good decisions should mainly compare what can happen from now on. However, our minds often treat past investment as a reason to continue, even when stopping would now be wiser.
Why continuing can feel right
Stopping after an investment can feel like admitting that the investment was a mistake. Continuing offers hope that the time or money will finally pay off, and it avoids the sharp feeling of waste. The problem is that the past cannot be changed by adding more resources to the same choice.
A film you dislike
You pay €8 for a film and dislike it after 30 minutes. Option one: watch 90 more minutes because you paid. Option two: leave and use the time elsewhere. The €8 is gone either way, so the useful comparison is the next 90 minutes. Leaving may be the better choice, although it can feel wasteful.
The trap: “I must finish”
Finishing something you started is often a good value, so the rule feels sensible. It becomes a trap when the earlier effort is the only reason to continue, while the future result is poor. Ask: “If I had not started, would I begin now?” If not, reconsider without blaming yourself.
Where it appears
This trap can appear with a book, a game, a long project or a subscription you no longer use. It also affects teams that keep repairing a failing plan because so much work has gone into it. Reviewing the next step, rather than defending the past, helps people change course when needed.
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