What’s the longest you’ve ever stayed committed to the wrong decision? More importantly, how do you know the difference between something that simply needs more time and something that clearly isn’t working? Every year, businesses experiment with new sales strategies, marketing campaigns, customer segments, processes, and technologies. Ask any owner or manager and they’ll quickly list a long trail of failures—sales initiatives that fizzled, systems that disappointed, or innovations that never delivered on their promise. One of my favorite concepts from college is “the escalation of commitment.” It describes our tendency to pour more time, money, and energy into a failing decision because we’re afraid to lose what we’ve already invested. Ironically, that fear often makes the loss larger. And yet, the opposite mistake is just as painful. How many times have we walked away from a goal or idea only to realize, in hindsight, that if we had stayed the course just a little longer, it could have become a genuine success?
Here’s a real example. I started my business on March 1, 2020—arguably one of the worst moments in modern history to launch anything. I had no idea what was about to unfold, and the early months of COVID made the decision feel reckless. By every logical measure, it would have made sense to reverse course and ask for my job back. I didn’t, and staying the course turned out to be the best decision I’ve ever made. At the same time, I’ve invested tens of thousands of dollars into various marketing initiatives only to learn a hard truth: disappointment stings far more when you can clearly see its price tag. I often worried that I was pulling the plug too early, but deep down I knew when it was time to step back and rethink the approach. Life and business are a constant series of judgment calls. As my old boss used to say, “Who has the crystal ball?” What we do have, however, is experience. Here are five lessons I’ve learned about when—and when not—to pivot.
- Separate emotion from evidence – Frustration and fear are poor decision-makers. Look at the data, patterns, and trends before deciding whether something truly isn’t working.
- Define a time horizon upfront – Before launching any initiative, decide how long you’re willing to test it. Clear checkpoints reduce second-guessing and emotional reactions.
- Ask whether the issue is execution or strategy – Sometimes the idea is sound, but the execution is flawed. Fixing the “how” may be more effective than abandoning the “what.”
- Listen to your intuition—but verify it – Your gut often knows before your spreadsheets do. Use intuition as a signal, then validate it with facts.
- Pivot with purpose, not panic – A pivot should be a deliberate adjustment, not a reaction to discomfort. Thoughtful pivots preserve momentum instead of resetting progress.
