By nature man hates change; seldom will he quit his old home till it has actually fallen around his ears.

Familiar situations exert enormous pull, even when they are failing. People commonly stay in jobs, arrangements and habits long after the warning signs appear, leaving only when collapse forces the decision. Part of this is reasonable, since change is costly and uncertain. Part of it is simply that a slowly deteriorating situation never offers one clear moment to leave, so the moment keeps being postponed.

Consider one area of your life that you suspect is gradually giving way. Rather than waiting for a crisis to decide for you, set a specific signal in advance that would tell you it is time to move, and write it down.