Exit Criteria

Say this

What would count as evidence that this has stopped working?

Do this now 3 min

Before starting, write: 'I'll stop this entirely if ___.' Define the specific, measurable condition that means walking away — not adjusting, not pivoting, but stopping. Make it concrete enough that you can't negotiate with yourself when the moment arrives.

Use when

You're starting something with significant ongoing cost — time, money, reputation, energy.

Avoid when

The commitment is small enough that formal exit criteria would be overhead.

Why it works

Without pre-set exit criteria, your definition of failure quietly shifts to accommodate whatever reality you're in. You'll always find a reason to continue. The criteria hold your future self accountable to your current judgment.

A tripwire tells you when to reassess. Exit criteria tell you when to quit. They’re different commitments. Reassessment can lead to doubling down, pivoting, or adjusting — exit criteria specifically define the point of no return in the other direction. Set them in advance because your future self will be compromised. You’ll have invested more, developed attachments, told people about the project, built identity around the effort. All of these make quitting feel like failure rather than wisdom. Pre-set exit criteria are a gift from your clear-headed present self to your emotionally entangled future self. They say: ‘When you see this, stop.’

Go deeper · 8 min read

Exit Criteria: Why Your Future Self Needs a Pre-Written Permission Slip to Quit

A tripwire tells you when to reassess. Exit criteria tell you when to stop. The distinction matters, because your future self — invested, attached, and identity-entangled — will always find a reason to continue. Pre-set criteria take the negotiation off the table.