A Smart Bear · Jason Cohen
articleprincipleStubborn Visionaries & Pigheaded Fools
17 March 2024Profit
Source excerpt
About A Smart BearHow do you know when to stop, versus when to push through? You don't, not even in hindsight. But these guiding questions can help.
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Apollo layer
What a founder can learn
Founder takeaway
You may never know with certainty whether persistence is visionary or foolish. Instead of waiting for certainty, use explicit decision criteria to distinguish evidence-backed conviction from attachment, inertia, or sunk-cost thinking.
Why it matters
Founders must persevere through ambiguity without letting conviction consume scarce time and capital indefinitely. Predefined questions and review points improve judgment while preserving the ability to change course.
Relevant guides
Put it to work
For one initiative you are debating, ask: What evidence would justify continuing, what evidence would make us stop, and by what date will we reassess? Write the answers before reviewing the latest results.