A few days ago, my husband and I packed our bags and set out for what was supposed to be a beautiful hike here in Tenerife, Spain.
We checked our favorite platforms and picked a supposedly popular route.
But what we got instead was a scramble. 🤣
The path wasn't a path. It was loose rocks, uneven terrain, and sections where we weren't hiking anymore... we were climbing. Hands and feet. Full concentration.
Three hours in, Philip and I stopped talking to each other because we had to focus on every single step to ensure we were safe.
And right before the steepest climb, we decided to turn around because continuing just wasn't worth it anymore.
But we probably should have turned around much sooner.
An hour in, we knew something was off.
Two hours in, we didn't enjoy the hike anymore.
But we kept going because we'd already invested time. Because maybe it would get better. Because we didn't want to "quit."
Sound familiar?! 😅
I see creators and entrepreneurs do this all the time.
They stick with a platform that's not working.
A product that's not selling.
A strategy that's draining them.
Not because they believe in it but because they've already put in the work.
The sunk cost fallacy is real. And it's expensive.
The truth is, we can't avoid wrong turns in life (or business).
No matter how much you research.
No matter how prepared you are.
Sometimes, the path just isn't what you expected.
The only thing you can always control is how quickly you recognize it and how fast you recover.
The best creators I know aren't the ones who never make mistakes.
They're the ones who course-correct fast.
They notice when something's off.
They trust their instinct.
And they don't let sunk time keep them stuck on the wrong path.
So if something in your journey feels harder than it should right now, maybe it's time to stop, look around, and ask yourself:
Is this the right path? Or am I just afraid to turn back?
The sooner you decide, the more energy you'll have for the trail that's actually meant for you.
Worth Your Time This Week
→ One Thing I'll Do Differently on Substack in 2026 — I asked 19 Substackers this question and got some surprisingly honest answers.
→ Medium Followers vs Substack: The Honest Truth After 6 Years and 80,000 Followers — What I've learned about building on both platforms.
→ What You Need to Know About Self-Publishing Your First or Next Book — Our latest podcast episode is for anyone thinking about writing a book.
→ 1,000 Paid Subscribers on Substack: The Full Breakdown — The 3-phase system we used to hit this milestone.
Cheers to knowing when to turn around,
Sinem
P.S. If you don't want to waste time on the wrong paths, platforms, or strategies in 2026, our VIP coaching program might be a good fit for you.
We work 1-on-1 with creators to be right by your side as you grow your audience, business, and income.
If you're curious, just reply to this email and tell me a bit about where you are right now. I'll get back to you with how we might be able to help.
P.P.S. Here's one of the very few photos we took on the hike before it got really bad 😅