How Do You Know When It’s Time to Pivot?

There's SO MUCH TO DO!

Let's talk about the psychology of letting it go.

And no, I'm not talking about Frozen.

I'm talking about holding onto something long after it brings you any value.

You know what I mean - that project, relationship, or business venture you've poured your heart (and probably a bunch of money) into.

The one that's got you wondering: "Should I keep pushing or cut my losses?"

Real talk: These might be the hardest decisions you'll ever make.

And that voice in your head saying "but I've already invested so much" isn't making it any easier.

The Sunk Cost Fallacy

(AKA Why We're Terrible at Letting Go)

Here's something fascinating - we humans are wired to keep throwing good money (or time, or energy) after bad.

The fancy term is "sunk cost fallacy," but I call it the "I've already come this far" syndrome.

But check this out:

• Sometimes sticking with something actually protects your reputation. Yeah, science backs this up. (Doody, 2019)

• What looks like a bad decision might make perfect sense if your goals have changed. (Tian et al., 2024)

• And let's be honest - emotions are running this show more than we'd like to admit. (Dijkstra & Hong, 2019)

Here's the kicker: The more you've invested, the harder it is to think straight about walking away.

That's why smart people stay way too long in dead-end situations.

Want to know something interesting?

Older folks are actually better at avoiding this trap.

Why?

They focus on where they're going, not where they've been. (Strough et al., 2011)

Your "Should I Stay or Should I Go" Game Plan

Get Real About the Future

Stop looking in the rearview mirror and ask yourself:

"If I was starting fresh today, would I jump into this?" "

A year from now, will I be thanking myself or kicking myself?"

Check Your Emotions at the Door

I know, easier said than done.

But try this:

Write down what emotion is driving your decision.

Is it guilt? Pride? Fear?

Make an old-school pros and cons list (sometimes the basics work best)

Step away for a bit.

Seriously.

Give your brain some space.

Use These Decision-Making Hacks

The 10-10-10 Rule: How will you feel about this in 10 days? 10 months? 10 years?

Play worst-case scenario:

If everything goes wrong, can you live with it?

Phone a friend (preferably one who'll tell you the truth, not what you want to hear)

Don't Overload Your Brain

Break this big scary decision into bite-sized pieces

Handle one thing at a time (finances today, emotional stuff tomorrow)

And for the love of all things holy, don't make huge decisions when you're stressed

The Truth About Pivoting

Here's something nobody tells you: Pivoting isn't failing. It's choosing to succeed differently than you planned.

When you finally let go of what's not working:

Your head gets clearer (amazing how that happens)

You learn stuff you never would've figured out otherwise

And suddenly you're moving forward instead of running in place

Your Homework

Take 10 minutes right now.

Grab a piece of paper and write down:

The Name of your big decision (get it out in the open)

Everything you've sunk into this thing

What you honestly think it's worth going forward

What you could do with all that energy if you walked away

Listen, persistence is great. But knowing when to pivot?

That's your superpower waiting to happen.

You have my permission to be whoever you want to be when you grow up :)

Keep growing (even if it means letting go).

To pivots and power,

Chris

P.S. Still not sure what to do?

Sleep on it. Sometimes the answer gets clearer when you stop staring at the problem.

Whenever you’re ready, here’s how I help you:

1. Become a $500MM Syndicator

A 1:1 custom experience designed to 3x your capital raising and 10x your assets under management. Train your brain to make success inevitable without sacrificing your personal life.

2. STAR Syndicator Group

Want quick wins to kick-off the year?

This 6-week group will find and destroy your limiting beliefs. Reply “group” for details of our next group.