the.com/point of no return

The moment turning back costs more than finishing ever will.

means The stage in a journey or undertaking past which reversing course is impossible or more costly than simply continuing.

from Originally aviation jargon: the point in a flight when a plane no longer has enough fuel to turn back to its origin and must continue to its destination. The phrase lifted off into general use in the mid-20th century, especially popularized by the 1958 novel/film 'The Point of No Return,' and has since fueled countless metaphors for commitment, risk, and no-going-back decisions far from any runway.

aviation origin
fuel point past which landing beats returning home
math cousin
irreversibility is a one-way function, not a feeling
common myth
rarely a single dramatic moment, usually a quiet one
decision trap
sunk cost makes people cross it on purpose
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