The Sunk Cost Trap in Features

“We already built half of it” is an emotional argument dressed up as strategy. The hours and dollars already spent are gone; they do not increase the return on the next hour. The only rational question is whether finishing this feature is the best use of what you still have—time, focus, and opportunity cost. Most teams cannot kill work mid-flight because they confuse past investment with future obligation. Kill the feature if the bet no longer clears the bar. The sunk cost is not a reason to continue; it is a lesson you already paid for.