I heard Bryan Caplan, an economist at George Mason University, say something that stuck with me:

"Normally there's no such thing as a free lunch, but actually, there are a bunch of free lunches. A lot of people waste resources in ways they don’t have to. If they just changed what they’re doing, they’d have a better life without giving anything else up. If you're sitting in a bad movie, just get up and walk out—that's a free lunch. You get your time back and avoid watching something you don’t even like."

Caplan’s point reminds me of system dynamics—one of the most powerful ways to improve a system is by changing the relationship between different elements. He’s saying something similar: if you want to improve your life, change your relationship with things that don’t bring you value.

Of course, you could criticize this. Isn’t it fickle to keep changing course? Doesn’t it mean you’re wrong a lot? But Caplan flips the script: the person who learns fast and pivots becomes effective faster than the person who stubbornly tolerates what isn’t working. In the startup world, they call this failing fast.

I thought about areas outside of business where this applies. Here are a few:

• Quitting alcohol. Why waste time and money battling gout, hangovers, and second-order health consequences? The easier path is to cut out the problem entirely.

• Leaving books unfinished. If a book isn’t delivering value, why keep reading? The sunk cost fallacy tricks people into wasting even more time.

• Ending bad relationships. Some cultures push couples to stay together at all costs. But forcing an unhappy relationship can lead to depression, resentment, and even betrayal. It’s better to recognize the mistake and move toward something healthier.

• Quitting toxic jobs. If your boss drains you, your work feels like a grind, and dread sets in every Sunday night, your time and talents are being wasted. Walking away is a free lunch—but, admittedly, one that not everyone can afford.

• Eating smarter. Same as quitting alcohol, but for food. If something is harming you, why maintain the relationship?

Some of these are easier said than done. There are feedback loops, pressures, and obligations that make quitting harder than just flipping a switch. But that’s the point—these choices are free lunches only if you can see them clearly.

If you want to apply Caplan’s lens to your own life, the trick is not just to copy his examples but to look at your system as it is, not as others say it should be.

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