A sunk cost is a cost that can’t be recovered. It’s money that’s gone, out the door, can’t get back. We don’t like the idea of sinking costs into things that turn out to be different than we hoped they would be. We keep expensive clothes that we never wear just because we spent a lot on them or we continue to subscribe to a magazine because it’s hard to admit that we just don’t read.
Sunk costs in relationships are even trickier. It’s scary to let go of a relationship’s potential. Yet, our time and our attention is too valuable to continue to put it into relationships that aren’t working—personally and professionally. The part where we trick ourselves is in how we define (or fail to define) “not working”. Yet when we’re considering sunk costs, “not working” typically means relationships that aren’t meeting our needs or expectations. It’s okay to have both. There are people who are willing to support your needs and rise to your expectations. Look for those people, they are the ones worth investing in.
P.S. If you think it might be a sunk cost, it likely is. There’s more in this world for you. For us all.