I. The Myth of “Maybe If I Try Harder” There comes a point when effort turns into erosion. At first, you tell yourself it just needs time. You invest more attention. More patience. More emotional labor. You explain yourself again. You compromise slightly. You convince yourself that consistency will eventually create reciprocity. But what if the machine isn’t stuck? What if it’s empty? Some dynamics are not delayed — they are depleted. No matter how many coins you deposit, nothing drops because there is nothing calibrated to respond. Effort does not revive what lacks infrastructure. II. The Cost of Over-Investing Energy is currency. Time. Attention. Emotional labor. Forgiveness. Second chances. Third explanations. These are deposits. And every deposit should generate some form of return — not necessarily instant gratification, but measurable stability. When you continually deposit into a machine that produces nothing but silence, inconsistency, or confusion, you are not being loyal. You...