The Sunk Cost Fallacy

Today I learnt the definition to a common occurrence in life! Have you heard of The Sunk Cost Fallacy?

The more we have invested (time, energy, money, love etc), the greater the urge to continue becomes. The determination to continue with something that may not be working is driven by our need to avoid contradiction. Avoiding admitting what we once thought was valuable is now not. What we once loved and enjoyed, now we do not. But somehow the desire to let it go is greatly overshadowed.

Examples:

You decide you NEED to finish your meal, because you paid for it and leaving a little food would be a waste, however you feel sick and very full. Why is it a better choice to finish your meal then?

You have been invested in a relationship for a long time, you have tried your best to make it work but in the end your mental health is suffering with your need to hang on and hold on to something that truly you know you no longer want or that benefits you. You think, it’s a waste to give up on something that has had years of investment. Perhaps more likely the longer your investment, the longer the pain exists. When is that fair.

Can you bring to mind something that you would benefit from letting go of, in your relationships, personal or work life?

Read more about Sunk Cost Fallacy in this really interesting article HERE.

With love & kindness, Jess x