Marginal vs full cost

“Just this once.”

Yeah, it’s easy for human beings to justify anything by doing something just this one time.

Except, once we have decided to do something once, we can easily justify it again.

“I already have done it once before.” (YOLO.)

Part of the problem is we don’t understand the full cost of what it is we are doing. The price of acting out of alignment with our principles is usually low the first time around (marginal).

But the tab keeps running. And, at some point, you have to answer for your actions.

It’s a trap. One that is not fully realized until you are stuck.