Kill signals are process boxes to check. Gates, you need to make it through in order to keep going. Maybe your kill signal is we don't want to have to tackle huge regulatory problems. That seems like something every team should do in every workplace. It's very helpful to have some sort of moral compass or some sort of fixed point that guide you when the decisions become very fraught.
In life and work, we have a hard time changing course. When we wind up in a miserable job, a failing project, or a floundering romantic relationship, we rationalize, make excuses, and stick with our bad decisions—even when the writing's on the wall. Why? Usually we assume the driving force is sunk costs: we don't want to admit we've wasted that time or money. But in fact, the root of our stubbornness is a psychological trap called “escalation of commitment.” Once we understand that, we can start taking steps to protect ourselves from… well, ourselves. This is an episode of WorkLife with Adam Grant, another podcast in the TED Audio Collective. For more episodes, find and follow WorkLife wherever you're listening to this.