When “I Invested Too Much to Leave the Law” Becomes the Reason You Stay Stuck

There comes a point where the math you’ve been doing in your head stops adding up. You spent years in school. You passed the bar. You took on the loans. You built the career you were told would make it all worth it. Now you’re tired, anxious, or checked out, but the idea of leaving makes your stomach drop. It feels like walking away means none of it mattered.That’s how the sunk cost trap works. It convinces smart people that the only respectable choice is to stick with a decision that’s hurting them. It tells you that if you bail now, everything you put into becoming a lawyer disappears.If you’re stuck in the “I can’t throw this away” spiral and need help figuring out your next step you need to listen to this. See show notes at formerlawyer.com/249I'm closing enrollment for my self-paced group program, the Former Lawyer Collaborative, permanently on August 31st, 2026. If you've been thinking about joining now is the time. Head to formerlawyer.com/collab to join before doors close on August 31st.