Reptilian brain · Loss, Risk & Scarcity
Escalation of Commitment
Increasing investment in a failing course of action to justify the original decision — strongest when you made the decision and others know it.
An everyday example
Doubling a marketing budget on a campaign that is not working because you championed it in front of the board.
What it can cost you
Ego-driven persistence; counterparts who make you publicly own a course so you cannot leave it.
Warning signs
- I am investing to prove I was right.
- Stopping would mean admitting it publicly.
One thing to do
Set kill criteria before starting, and hand the stop decision to someone who did not make the start decision.
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