How “Any Benefit” Mentality Can Confuse Your Goals
There is something to say by saying yes to things . You never know what the potential is if you say yes to an extra project at work or donate your time somewhere. However, there is a problem with this too: you can stretch too much.
In Afford Anything, personal finance writer Paula Pant talks about the “any benefit” mentality: the idea that you have to do all the things or connections you can get because “you never know where that might lead.” She writes:
How often have you heard this advice?
- Attend every networking event on the planet!
- Jump onto every new social media platform!
- Give everyone your business card!
- Reply to every email / tweet / post / comment you receive!
The excuse is always the same: “You never know what it might lead to.” Let’s rephrase this, shall we? “You never know” is a euphemism for “maybe this could potentially provide a tiny theoretical spin-off benefit. Maybe. “Wow. What a barometer.
Whatever your goal, you ultimately want results, which can be difficult if you’re too scattered. When you say yes, it helps to be more selective . Pant suggests that you clearly state your goals and then use them as a barometer. From there, prioritize the actions that are most likely to produce the best results. This is obvious enough; the problem is that we tend to get distracted .
… that the possibility of obtaining any benefit is not a sufficient reason to devote oneself to any activity. You are not looking for any benefit, you are looking for 10x the results … As you get closer to your goals, you will find fun and easy distractions. They sing the siren of sunshine and short-term victories. They are seductive. But they are distracting. Don’t say yes to everything. Forget about the pursuit of “any gain.” Focus on a few actions that will speed up your results.
It serves as a good reminder that saying yes is great, but if you say yes to everything it can hinder your progress. To find out more about what Pant has to say, follow the link below.
The Incredible Power of 10x Thinking | Allow yourself everything