Letting Go of Your Creation
A friend just sold her business. She has been operating her business for two years. Since day one, her business was merely breaking even. Eventually the business wore her down and she has to sell the business.
After she had completed all the paper works and tallied the numbers, she did not lose any money. She only gained 2 years of business experience. Despite the lack of financial prospects, selling her business was a difficult decision. Selling the business means letting go her creation. The business was built on top of her dreams, expectations and hard work. Selling it means throwing in the towel.
I admire her courage to let go her business. The last two years, the business was her identity and life. She is willing to give it all up and start over. I doubt I can be as willing as her. I definitely would suffer from sunk cost fallacy.
Here is the lesson. If something is not working for you, give yourself a timeline. Use the timeline as a "trip wire", for example a dateline. When the date comes, and your situation does not improve. It is time to dispose or take massive action to change the trajectory of your life. By being brutal towards yourself, you can avoid the unnecessary long term pain.