Kill Criteria Protocol (Pre-Set Exit Points)

A protocol for defining in advance the specific conditions under which you will abandon a project, investment, or commitment — before sunk cost bias makes that decision impossible. Step 1 — At the START of any significant commitment, answer: 'Under what conditions would I quit this?' Write down 3-5 specific, measurable kill criteria (e.g., 'If we haven't reached 100 paying customers by Month 6,' 'If my enjoyment drops below 4/10 for three consecutive months,' 'If the total investment exceeds $50K'). Step 2 — Set calendar reminders for evaluation dates. Step 3 — At each evaluation date, check criteria honestly against reality. Step 4 — If any kill criterion is met, execute the exit plan — do NOT renegotiate the criteria in the moment. Step 5 — Build in one 'appeal' — a single opportunity to revise criteria if genuinely new information has emerged (not just emotional reluctance to quit). Key principle: Kill criteria set at the beginning leverage your most rational self. Criteria reconsidered in the middle leverage your most biased self.

When to use it

At the launch of any project, business, investment, or significant commitment. When entering a new role with performance expectations. When starting a new habit or health protocol with measurable goals. When funding a startup. When beginning any initiative where you've historically had trouble letting go.

How it can help

Solves the sunk cost trap — the most expensive cognitive bias in both business and personal life. Projects, relationships, and careers that should have ended years ago persist because no one defined the exit criteria in advance. Kill criteria create a pre-commitment to rational behavior that overrides the emotional pull of sunk costs. The single 'appeal' mechanism balances flexibility with discipline. Particularly valuable for entrepreneurs, investors, and anyone prone to persisting too long.