Exit criteria must be state+date pairs…

When This Fires

• When designing exit criteria for any commitment, project, or strategy
• When a feeling-based exit criterion keeps not triggering despite deteriorating conditions
• When designing the "kill conditions" in a decision framework (Every decision framework needs five explicit components)
• Complements After irreversible commitments, schedule external reviews… (external review with pre-defined criteria) with the state+date format specification

Common Failure Mode

Feeling-based exit criteria: "I'll quit the project if it doesn't feel right." It never "doesn't feel right" because sunk cost and identity attachment make continuation always feel more comfortable than quitting. Observable alternative: "If the project hasn't reached 100 users by September 30, I'll transition to the next project." On September 30, you check the number. 100 or not. Feelings are irrelevant.

The Protocol

(1) For any commitment with significant potential downside, define exit criteria as state+date pairs: State: "If [observable, measurable condition]..." — not "if it feels wrong" but "if [metric] is below [threshold]." Date: "...by [specific date]." The date creates the evaluation trigger. (2) Write both components and commit to them before entering the commitment. (3) On the specified date: evaluate the state condition. If the condition holds → the exit criterion is met. Execute the pre-committed response (exit, pivot, reduce). (4) Do not negotiate with the criterion at evaluation time. The criterion was designed to override your in-the-moment feelings. Trust the cold-state design (Design pre-commitments when calm to constrain behavior…). (5) If you genuinely believe the criterion is wrong → update it for the next evaluation period during a calm planning session. Never update criteria during the emotional pressure of the evaluation moment itself.