Expensive Sentences ― Debunking the Common Myths That Derail Decisions and Sabotage Success

One of the great devices in drama is the snare – when our heroes are lured into situations that look right at first, but land them in peril. They had a good plan, but it turns out that plan was based on faulty information or a deceptive premise.Sadly, this experience is not limited to fiction. In our own lives we know the pain of following a promising path only to realize it leads to a negative outcome. What seemed like great decisions based on solid reasons end up costing us time, money, opportunity, or more.Most of us don’t face the foul villains of movies and books. But there is an enemy. The enemy is more sly, more subtle, and just as dangerous. Like Bart Simpson’s mythical Milk Dud, it is sweet on the outside and poison on the inside. It sounds like wisdom, but it is an Expensive Sentence.We can spot an Expensive Sentence by its impact. Expensive Sentences limit information. They end conversations. They create urgency and isolation. They reduce options. They steal choice.Despite the fact that Expensive Sentences show up everywhere with unlimited wordings and context, their message can be distilled to just three words: Scarce. Special. Stuck.Expensive Sentences reveal that we believe that something is scarce, that someone is special, or that we are stuck. We’ll explore the full implications and costs of Scarce, Special, and Stuck, and we will study the most common sentences that foster those conditions.