Habits Quote by Marshall Goldsmith
“After living with their dysfunctional behavior for so many years (a sunk cost if ever there was one), people become invested in defending their dysfunctions rather than changing them.”
About This Quote
Source Book: What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, 2007
People cling to familiar dysfunctions because they’ve invested time, making change harder than staying the same.
In simple terms: People defend bad habits due to past investment.
Challenge entrenched habits.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- career transitions
- personal relationships
- habit reform
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What dysfunction are you defending?
- What would you gain by letting it go?
Changing may feel like loss of identity.