Maybe someday I will write about an abundance mentality that denounces the limitations of “either-or” and projects the possibility of “both, ” until then, permit me to share a few thoughts about the true import and implications of decisions and indecisions.
Where there are options and alternatives, whenever participants are constrained to choose between a limited set of either one or the other, the reality of an opportunity being forgone materialises. Economics holds that true cost is an opportunity foregone.
Opportunity Forgone is the value of the next-best alternative you give up when making a decision. It is the premise that highlights opportunity cost. Every time you decide to spend time, money or resources on one thing, you are by design deciding not to spend them on something else. The option or alternative you let go of is the opportunity forgone.
It is the sacrifice you make with every decision you take. The sacrifice may or may not be informed by the limitation of resources, time, space, and opportunity.
Fulfilment is the result of the actions and decisions you make over time. An endless interaction of either this or that. If we are here, we cannot then be there at the same time. Everything that you are is implicitly the trade-off for all that you are not.
And everything that you will become will have a corresponding trade-off.
If we hold your aspirations and weight them against the value of the next-best alternative you give up, are you sure your choice best fulfils your purpose, maximizes your potential and promotes your capacities?
So, may I ask what you’re doing? Sounds very simplistic, and you’ll be tempted to respond easily and readily. But what you are doing is at the expense of numerous other options and considerations. The question, therefore, is, are you maximising the moment?
If you can focus on only a few concerns or interests at a time, you must be careful in choosing what or whom you commit to.
The Golden Rule: Don’t just reckon “is it worth the money?’ Ask, “Is this worth what I have to give up getting it?” In practical terms, your relationships, commitments, decisions and subscriptions all carry concepts like opportunity cost that drive rational decisions. As you progress, look beyond price and consider the hidden costs of lost time and unrealised potential. Considering these lost opportunities highlights the value of your decision-making process.