Walking away from a deal that smells wrong takes more guts than signing it.

Leaving something on the table when everybody expects you to take it is harder than any confrontation, because there is no visible reward and nobody to congratulate you. The signal you are picking up is usually real even when you cannot name it: a detail that does not add up, a person who dodges questions, pressure to sign quickly.

Give yourself a rule that makes the exit easier. Nothing gets signed the same day it is offered. If somebody objects to you thinking it over, that tells you what you needed to know.