The Sunk Cost Fallacy: How to Stop Investing in Things That No Longer Serve You

We’ve all stayed in situations longer than we should — a draining job, a forgotten hobby we keep forcing, a subscription we don’t use, a relationship we know isn’t right. We cling because we’ve already invested time, money, effort, or emotion. Walking away feels like wasting everything we’ve put in. This mental trap is called the sunk cost fallacy, and understanding it can help you make cleaner, healthier choices.

1. What the Sunk Cost Fallacy Really Is

The sunk cost fallacy is the tendency to continue something purely because of what you’ve already invested — even when it’s no longer valuable, enjoyable, or beneficial. Those past costs are “sunk,” meaning they can’t be recovered. Yet your brain wants them to count for something. So you push forward, hoping the future will justify the past, even when your instincts tell you it won’t.

2. Why the Brain Struggles to Let Go

Letting go feels like losing twice: once for the investment itself and again for giving up. Your brain is wired to avoid loss, even when the rational choice is to cut your losses. That’s why you finish a bad movie, stick with a course you don’t like, or keep outfits you never wear. You’re trying to “save” your investment, even though the only way to save your time and energy is to stop pouring more into something that’s no longer working.

3. The Emotional Weight of Staying Too Long

The longer you force something, the heavier it feels. You may experience resentment (“Why did I spend so much on this?”), guilt (“I should finish what I started”), or fear of judgment (“People will think I’m giving up”). But these emotions cloud your clarity. Staying out of obligation drains your time, energy, and creativity — resources you could redirect toward something that actually serves you.