If There Were A Tradeoff, What Would It Be?

Sometimes we encounter things in life that are too good to be true. It’s a promotion at work or a new job you’re excited about. It’s an opportunity to travel or experience something really special. Especially when we get excited about something we can get all caught up in it.

What I’m about to suggest isn’t that you shouldn’t trust your intuition or that you should tone down the excitement in your life… I believe you feel that emotion for a reason. What I’m proposing instead is that you understand the big picture so that you can be extra intentional about what you’re actually getting versus assuming the highlights of what could be.

This is where I want you to have this question in your back pocket - If there were a tradeoff, what would it be? This question is neutral, soft, and fair. It doesn’t claim that there are any consequences to the path ahead but makes you reflect on the possibilities of what those consequences might be.

For example, a promotion at work might mean that you’ll feel pressure to spend more time working, which then compromises your personal time and health habits. An opportunity to travel the world means that you might miss birthdays, holidays, and events that are important to you.

It’s by forecasting the tradeoff that we really get to genuinely choose the path we want to take. Rather than being surprised or naive to the new normal that’ll come from a new environment, you give yourself your best chance to make the most of it by being more prepared.

In summary - If you feel like the stars are aligning and you’re beginning to grasp at something you genuinely want but are missing, go for it! But go for it with intention so that you’re fully aware of the implications of the decision, and the potential tradeoffs you might experience.