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Sunk Cost Release
Effort and money already spent are unrecoverable — ignore them when evaluating continue vs exit.
Goal
Liberate the present decision from the weight of unrecoverable past investment, which forces many leaders to continue failing projects.
Steps
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1
Identify the project/relationship/commitment in question.
Expected Outcome
Immediate
You feel immediate liberation seeing the sunk cost set aside, out of the equation.
Evidence base
School: Behavioral Economics / Sunk Cost Fallacy
Founders: Hal Arkes · Catherine Blumer (1985)
Documented in Arkes-Blumer experiments (1985) showing investors destroyed more chasing sunk amounts. Universal in investing, marriage, projects.
Keywords
Frequently asked questions
How long does "Sunk Cost Release" take?
This exercise takes about 15 minutes, practiced solo in a Written reflection format.
When will I notice the effect of "Sunk Cost Release"?
You feel immediate liberation seeing the sunk cost set aside, out of the equation. In the short term: Within a month, you make one rational exit decision you'd postponed because "I invested so much".
Is "Sunk Cost Release" evidence-based?
Yes — it draws on Behavioral Economics / Sunk Cost Fallacy (Hal Arkes, Catherine Blumer (1985)). Documented in Arkes-Blumer experiments (1985) showing investors destroyed more chasing sunk amounts. Universal in investing, marriage, projects.
Is "Sunk Cost Release" suitable for beginners?
Its difficulty level is: Advanced. No external tools required — it can be practiced directly inside the app.
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