On Looking Back (and Forward) - Part 1

Sometimes I talk to people about the hours I work (which are fairly extreme). Sometimes during those conversations I talk about how I regret the things I am missing out on by working the hours I work (it's a fairly long list of things) and the sacrifices my schedule requires, especially for my wonderful family.

Sometimes during those conversations we'll get to talking about regret. That part of this sort of discussion sometimes focuses on the sacrifices that have been required in the past or the sacrifices that are being required in the present because of the work schedule of people in my sort of job. To do this job successfully does require material and frequent sacrifices. And sometimes that's regrettable. Of course.

But today it occurred to me that doing this job right now may allow me more freedom (and concomitantly, mean I can avoid making sacrifices) in the future, provided things continue to work out according to my mid-term and long-term plans.

So when you're evaluating the choices you've made in your life (and when you're evaluating a new opportunity or weighing the pros and cons of a new endeavor), I think you need to consider the benefits not yet reaped as well as the costs already incurred. There is opportunity cost today for choices made. There is opportunity cost tomorrow for choices made.

All you can really do is do the best you can and make the choices that seem the most right at the time. And be humble to what is right, especially morally.

Jumping topics slightly,
I am firmly convinced
that the investment decisions
you make with your time
are the most important investment decisions in life.

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

-- Yogi Berra.




Photo Credits: here and here.