Quit the losers, focus on tomorrow’s winners

I once paid thirty bucks to see a midnight premiere of a sci-fi film. An hour in, I leaned over and whispered to my partner, “Let’s go.” But the price tag was gone, so I stayed slumped in the seat, wincing every time the hero mumbled.

By morning, I admitted I’d wasted two hours and thirty dollars—yet I still felt too guilty to ask for a refund when the theatre was packed at Matinee. Money gone, time gone; the display of my own folly was the final insult.

That day I learned the sunk cost fallacy runs deep. Until you see losses as irrecoverable, you’ll stay in bad movies, faltering investments or dead-end projects. The past is sunk—only future gains matter.

From now on, whenever I feel trapped by past spending, I pause and focus on the single question: “Will this move me forward?” If the answer is no, I walk away without a second thought.

You’ve spent too much already—time, money or sweat—and it’s tempting to soldier on just to ‘make it count.’ But that only drags you deeper. First, clearly label past costs so they can’t sneak into your mind again. Then spell out your future goals in black and white. Finally, set a monthly alarm to review each commitment against those goals. If it fails to help you move forward, close that chapter and reclaim your energy. Give it a try on your next review night.