Master the art of high-stakes decision-making by learning when to eliminate your escape routes and pivot with purpose.
Navigating the crossroads of commitment and letting go is one of the most challenging aspects of both personal and professional life. This course explores the fundamental psychology and strategic frameworks behind effective decision-making, focusing specifically on how to evaluate ongoing investments of time, energy, and resources. It delves into the cognitive biases that keep individuals trapped in unrewarding or dead-end situations, such as the sunk cost fallacy and the fear of failure, and contrasts these with the principles of productive perseverance.
Through an exploration of behavioral economics and psychological models, the course offers a comprehensive overview of how to objectively assess current trajectories, recognize when a strategic pivot is necessary, and develop the clarity to either double down on a chosen path or confidently walk away.
Motivational & Leadership Speaker
Adam Mendler is a nationally recognized authority on leadership, renowned for his unique ability to deliver perspective-shifting insights shaped by interviewing more than 500 of America’s most successful leaders. The creator and host of the top-rated business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, Adam regularly elicits insights from America's top CEOs, founders, athletes, celebrities, and political and military leaders. A keynote speaker to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations, Adam has written extensively on business and leadership, having authored more than 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc., and HuffPost. A Los Angeles native and lifelong Angels fan, Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA, serves on the board of UCLA’s Master of Applied Statistics & Data Science program, is an emeritus member of USC’s Board of Governors, and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders.
Co-founder and CEO of RSE Ventures
Matt Higgins is an American entrepreneur, author, media executive, and the co-founder and CEO of RSE Ventures, a private investment firm that focuses on sports and entertainment, media and marketing, food and lifestyle, and technology. In 2012, Higgins co-founded RSE with Stephen M. Ross, the founder of Related Companies and owner of the Miami Dolphins. Higgins served as Vice Chairman of the Dolphins from 2012–2021, having previously been a high-level executive with the New York Jets. Higgins is the co-founder of combat robotics company Performance Drone Works (PDW). His first book, Burn the Boats: Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential, was published by William Morrow in 2023 and was named a Wall Street Journal bestseller.
This portal is provided as a training and development resource for City of Markham employees. Every course is delivered by a qualified subject matter expert or learning organization, is quantifiable in hours, and is verifiable — you receive a documented certificate of completion for every course you finish, stored on LearnFormula indefinitely.
If you hold a professional designation (for example in engineering, accounting, human resources, or law), courses may be counted as professionally relevant, verifiable learning activities toward your continuing professional development. Individual practitioners are responsible for confirming that an activity meets the requirements of their professional body. For questions about the City of Markham's training and development policies, please speak with your people leader or Human Resources.
