tactic library
Work

Sunk-cost pressure

Past investment is used as the argument for continuing.

how it sounds

We've already put six months into this — you can't stop now.

What they’re really doing

Time already spent is not a reason to keep spending. The argument works by making exit feel like waste.

The reply that answers it

Looking at it from today: [current cost] versus [current value]. On that basis my decision is [decision].

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