Keep the power to end things
Ending things is a superpower. Don't give it up too easily!
Each time you start a new project or relationship, you have the power to give it up at some point in time. Whether it's because you have failed to find joy, happiness, failed to reach the goals you had in mind, don't like how things turned out, ran out of energy, motivation, or curiosity. There are countless reasons to end things...
Sometimes, unfortunately, you may end up in a trap where you can't seem to find the strength, willpower, or energy to make the decision you know deep down to be the right one. That happens when you fail to recognize that you still have the power to end things. When you give it up, consciously or not.
When you don't end things when you should and actually have the power to do so, you betray yourself and steal yourself from the future and success you deserve. Not making the decisions you need to make is actually making the worst possible one. Because not deciding is actually deciding to avoid deciding, which is worse.
What you're not changing, you're choosing
Decision avoidance often has roots in fear. You might fear losing/wasting the money and/or time that you've invested in your project. Or you might fear ending up alone. You might fear making the wrong decision, so you try to play it safe by going on. The problem with such fears is that they are limiting. They are blinding you to the endless possibilities in front of you.
I've faced such tough dilemmas in the past, and it didn't end well. I've shared a story about my failed startup which ended up costing me ~200k € because I failed to abandon the project soon enough. I was fooled by the sunk cost fallacy.
To avoid this pitfall, whatever your situation is, determine if you actually do have the power to end things. More often than not, you do have it. Then, consider what's really the worst that could happen.
About Sébastien
I am Sébastien Dubois. You can follow me on X 🐦 and on BlueSky 🦋.
I am an author, founder, and coach. I write books and articles about Knowledge Work, Personal Knowledge Management, Note-taking, Lifelong Learning, Personal Organization, and Zen Productivity. I also craft lovely digital products . You can learn more about my projects here.
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Ready to get to the next level?
To embark on your Knowledge Management journey, consider investing in resources that will equip you with the tools and strategies you need. Check out the Obsidian Starter Kit and the accompanying video course. It will give you a rock-solid starting point for your note-taking and Knowledge Management efforts.
If you want to take a more holistic approach, then the Knowledge Worker Kit is for you. It covers PKM, but expands into productivity, personal organization, project/task management, and more:
If you are in a hurry, then do not hesitate to book a coaching session with me:
