Short-Run Thinking

What is best for me in the next 5 minutes, the rest of the day, or the rest of the week? I admit it… I am sometimes guilty of very short-run thinking.

The counter intuitive reality is that, most of the time, what is best for me, or my customer, in the short run, is not the best thing for me or them in the long run. Interesting! I have to be very careful in this area of both my professional and personal life because short-run thinking is easy! Pursuing longer term achievements takes discipline and is hard.

I have stated before in a blog post that I like to eat…it is fun. But eating too much, too often certainly has its long term consequences. The same goes for financial health…a little purchase here or there on items that provide short term enjoyment can ultimately lead to long term despair, and at the very least, worry.

When we begin a project with a client we are often times looking for “early yardage”, something that can impress them and hook them for the long haul. This works lots of times, but we must be careful that a quick battle victory does not impede the ultimate outcome of the war. What are our real goals? Sometimes even having the conversation is difficult. Who wants to think about 5 years from now when they are hurting in the present? Like I said, long term thinking is hard.

Taking the long view, however, is generally taking on the real source of the problem as opposed to simply alleviating a symptom with a short-term salve. I don’t like pain any more than the next person, but I do understand that most things worthwhile are not attained without some type of short run sacrifice. I have known people that would rather walk with a cane than go through physical therapy. I do not want to be those people…ever!

I’m just trying to psyche myself up for some short term pain in order to achieve some long term gain…. I hope this helps you a little also.

Keep the Faith.