Learn This Underrated Skill (It Might Save Your Life)

When Should You Quit? An Economist Explains the Hidden Logic Behind Giving Up

We’ve all heard it:
“Winners never quit.”
“Never give up.”
“Hang in there!"

But that advice is often dead wrong.

In this episode of Econ Nerds, we dive into the economics of quitting. Using an infamous 1996 Mt. Everest disaster as a case study, we discuss why people stay in bad jobs, toxic relationships, or failing projects long after they should have walked away. The culprits?

Identity: You’re not your startup or your relationship.
Status quo bias: Sticking with what’s familiar feels easier.
Sunk cost fallacy: “I can’t quit now, I’ve already invested too much…”

But here’s the truth: good decisions only consider future costs and benefits. That’s what economists call thinking on the margin.

You’ll learn:
How to know when it’s really time to quit
Why Hollywood only tells half the story about persistence
And how to create kill criteria to make hard decisions easier

Watch this if you’ve ever asked yourself “Am I giving up too soon…or staying too long?”