Why Starting Over Hurts

65 snips

Sep 22, 2025

Join Clayton Critcher, a UC Berkeley marketing and psychology professor, as he delves into the fascinating concept of doubling-back aversion—the reluctance to start over even when it’s the best choice. He shares the story of the Panama Canal's costly mistakes due to this bias. Listeners learn practical strategies to overcome this instinct, such as reframing wasted efforts and adopting a more flexible mindset. It’s a compelling exploration of how our minds trick us into resisting the smart pivot.

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ANECDOTE

Bed Frame That Should Have Been Rebuilt

Katy Milkman describes struggling to finish a bed frame she assembled incorrectly and refusing to backtrack.
Her refusal to undo work made the task far longer and more painful in the end.

ANECDOTE

Bike Path Detour That Backfired

The host remembers insisting on a bike-path route and refusing her husband's suggestion to return.
Her commitment to not going backwards prolonged the journey and caused frustration.

ANECDOTE

French Ambition To Build A Canal

The podcast retells the French effort to build the Panama Canal and its huge stakes.
The story frames how large projects can suffer when leaders resist changing course.

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If you've ever gotten well into a project—maybe a DIY renovation—and then realized that you've taken the wrong approach, you probably know that it's very tempting to just stay the course. Starting all over again would be so painful, even if starting over is clearly the best option.

Or maybe you've taken a wrong turn on a hike and only noticed it a mile later. You know the dread of going back. Even if turning around is the smartest option, there's a strong pull to just keep moving forward.

In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we explore why people push ahead, even when a better path is available.

You'll hear the epic story of the building of the Panama Canal—and the high cost of not starting over when setbacks kept mounting.

Then, Katy speaks with Berkeley Haas Professor Clayton Critcher about what he and collaborator Kristine Cho have dubbed doubling-back aversion and how it can affect many different decisions in our lives.

Choiceology is an original podcast from Charles Schwab. For more on the show, visit schwab.com/podcast.

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