You are halfway through a terrible movie. You hate it.
Do you turn it off? No. You watch the rest because “I already invested an hour.”
This is the Sunk Cost Fallacy. It is a glitch in your brain that makes you throw good time after bad. If you want to be “Lazy Smart,” you must learn to quit.
What Is the Sunk Cost Fallacy?
It is the irrational belief that you must finish something just because you started it.
Your brain focuses on the “cost” you already paid (time, money, or effort). It forgets that the cost is gone. You can never get it back.
The Truth: Continuing a bad activity does not save your investment. It just wastes your future.
3 Things You Need to Quit Today
1. Bad Books and Movies
Life is too short for boring content.
If a book doesn’t grab you by page 50, close it. If a series gets boring in Season 2, turn it off. Walking away is not failure; it is quality control.
2. Useless Projects
Are you still trying to learn French just because you bought the textbook three years ago?
Stop. If the goal no longer serves you, drop it. The money for the book is gone. Don’t let the guilt steal your time too.
3. Toxic Arguments
We often keep arguing just to “win” because we have been fighting for an hour.
Cut your losses. Say, “You know what? You are right.” Then go take a nap. That is the ultimate power move.
The “Zero-Based” Thinking Rule
To beat this trap, ask yourself this question:
“If I had not started this yet, would I start it today?”
If the answer is No, then quit immediately.
Conclusion
Quitting is not for losers. Quitting is for people who value their time.
So, close the bad book. Walk out of the bad movie. Cut your losses and be free.
Tell me in the comments: What is one thing you are only doing because you feel guilty about stopping?
