"I'm going all-in on this. But if it doesn't work, I can always go back to my old job."

That's not going all-in. That's going 80% in while keeping 20% reserved for failure.

And that 20% is killing you.

Here's what a backup plan really is: A bet against yourself.

When you keep an escape route warm, you're saying: "I don't actually believe this will work. So I'm preparing for when it doesn't."

And your brain hears that. Loud and clear.

Every time things get hard—and they will get hard—your brain whispers: "Remember the backup plan. This doesn't have to hurt. You have options."

That whisper is why you quit.

Not because the obstacle was insurmountable. But because quitting was easy and you'd already pre-approved it.

I kept backup plans for years. Always had an exit. Always had a "if this doesn't work" story ready.

And I used them. Every time.

When I finally committed—no backup, no exit, success or total failure—everything changed. Not because I suddenly got smarter or more talented.

Because I couldn't quit. Quitting wasn't an option I'd left on the table.

When retreat is impossible, you find a way forward.

The most successful people I know didn't have safety nets. They had a single option: make it work.

Is that risky? Yes.

Is that what commitment actually requires? Also yes.

What backup plan are you keeping warm right now?

What would happen if you killed it?

Done negotiating.

-Joel