In for a Penny...

"In for a penny, in for a pound" is a British saying from the 1600s that means committing to a plan no matter the cost. This is related to the sunk cost fallacy, where you keep going because of what you have already invested in time, money, or effort. Fear of losing what you have already put in can also make you stick to the same decision.

It’s clear: you’re at an all-you-can-eat buffet and overeat to "get your money’s worth." You get a coupon for something you want but end up buying extra stuff you don’t need. It can be emotional too; you stay in a harmful relationship even though you know it’s wrong. You realize you should rethink your loyalty to a "leader," but find it hard to face the painful truth.

It’s easy to see, but only from the outside. When you’re at the buffet, you rationalize by telling yourself you’ll have a salad tomorrow. You explain away the horribleness of the abusive partner by selectively recalling the good times. 

It’s easy to see how it can happen in organizations or with leaders. We might overlook a bad culture because we’ve been with the company for many years. We may ignore, or rationalize, being part of a group even though their morals and actions contradict ours. And the worst may be when we just can’t see that our leader is not a decent human. But you can’t leave them because you’re in for a penny…