What a beautiful morning it was – blue sky, crisp and cold, grass covered with ice, beautiful sun spells leaping through the trees.
I went for a run and really drank in the beauty of the morning. My route takes me through the park – my most nurturing place in my neighbourhood. Everything seemed to be in harmony. But then the path got muddy and I had to interrupt my run to decide whether I will get my shoes all covered in mud, or if I’m going to turn around.
It made me think of the trade-offs in life and in our careers. In many scenarios, we have to give up one thing in return for attaining something else. Here are some examples that certainly made me think:
- Time vs Money – How much is it worth to work overtime (to have more income, advance in the career or be just this little bit more visible than the colleague) in exchange for having less time with your family?
- Sleep vs Productivity – When is it worth sacrificing sleep in order to finish a project in exchange for rest and long-term focus?
- Status vs Happiness – Is it worth staying in a career that pays well while sacrificing happiness and fulfilment?
- Health vs Convenience – What is the value in eating fast food (to save time) or satisfying a craving but compromising health?
- Pleasing vs Own Needs – For those who have a people pleaser tendency, how much are you doing for others in return for your own suffering?
Most areas in life seem to be about compromise. That strikes me as a good thing. Why wouldn’t we give something up so that someone else could benefit? Sacrificing can bring out generosity and can make us feel good. But, sometimes it can be toxic! For example when it starts taking a toll on our health.
When confronted with a potential compromise, perhaps answering the following questions can help:
1) What is the gain from the sacrifice?
2) What is the loss from the sacrifice?
3) Is it worth it?
Take career happiness as an example. I don’t believe that the majority of people find THE ONE career that ticks all boxes. But I DO BELIEVE we can find or create a career that aligns with 70%-80% of our traits, sacrificing the remaining 20%-30% plus the work we have to put into it finding it.
Proceeding on my path through the mud was my sacrifice that was worth making. In return, I got to enjoy the beauty of the park, I was surrounded by nature and even managed to get some much needed Vitamin D. This is worth the extra load of laundry!
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I’m Aurelia. I help individuals navigate career change and be more aligned with their values.
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