What are you willing to suffer for, to get what you want?
It’s a question that makes people reflect on what it would *truly* cost them to get what they want. And what they’re willing to tolerate.
It clarifies their vision so they can carve out a path that’s right for them.
Another perspective to take is, what are you willing to risk for greater fulfillment?
When you’re stuck in analysis paralysis at the crossroads of a major decision and don’t know what to do, this powerful question can be illuminating. It shines a spotlight on what it is you *truly* want – by envisioning what’s possible.
It can also provide a practical framework to apply in decision making.
When Charles Darwin was faced with the decision of whether or not to marry, he made a list of pros and cons of marrying, in the hopes of coming up with a rational decision. But according to researchers at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, Darwin’s list was more indicative of his mindset at the time – spotlighting his ignorance and blind spots – his list was based on the perspective of an unmarried man, with more minuses than pluses about marriage.
How would he know about the power and beauty of a shared life? The potential for greater fulfillment was missing in Darwin’s analysis. Eventually, Darwin did marry and had 10 children with his wife Emma – and perhaps despite or because of his decision to go through life with a family, made him one of the greatest scientists of all time.
But once you get what you’ve always wanted, what happens after? Where would that take you next?
Sometimes this can uncover deeper goals and aspirations at the heart of what’s really important to you.
I’m often humbled by the power of asking good questions and its transformative impact.
What will you let go of, to get what you want?
Related Resources:
How to Make a Decision When There’s No ‘Right’ One (New York Times)
Farsighted: How We Make the Decisions That Matter the Most (Stephen Johnson)
Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions (Dan Ariely)
