8 Critical Questions to Evaluate New Opportunities
Changing jobs, a promotion, new partnerships or business opportunities, can be life changing or life altering.
Our human tendency is to have a “grass is greener on the other side” mentality. Projecting positive outcomes but potentially overlooking the downsides.
And if you're anything like 99% of us, you tend to also overlook or underestimate the importance of all the non-financial aspects of our life.
In reality new opportunities can improve one or two areas of your life, such as your financial and social standing. But it can also potentially compromise or negatively affect other areas of your life.
Some examples?
Demands of Your New Opportunity | Personal Impact or Compromise Required |
Availability on Weekends | I may have to miss my son’s soccer games. |
Business Attire | A three-piece suit culture is not me, but this job requires it. |
Frequent Travel | My schedule will disrupt my fitness routine |
How to Avoid Compromising The Important Aspects of Your Life
It’s funny, but too often true, that we have such detailed criteria when shopping for a new car or a new house, but when it comes to our work life, we rarely evaluate them objectively.
Through trial & error I developed a series of questions to help me objectively evaluate new opportunities and the potential impact beyond my work and career.
Does this align with my personal values?
Will this pull me away from important relationships?
What level of pressure or stress can I anticipate?
Will the demands of the role influence my physical or mental health?
Is my spouse or partner supportive of this change or move?
What is my main reason for wanting a new job or take on new projects?
Personal wellbeing?
Financial comfort?
Social status?
Personal or professional growth?
What compromises will I need to make in my personal life to be successful?
Will this bring me closer to my personal endgame?
The intent behind this line of questions is to take into full account as many important aspects of your life into consideration and to most importantly highlight any blindspots you may develop when a nice shiny object comes our way
When you reflect on your recent decisions, how many of them would you have done differently based on this method?
That's it for this week. Would love your thoughts...