Last month we discussed the difference between striving and thriving. I asked you to consider that rock, that thing which demands an inordinate amount of your effort and attention that could otherwise be intentionally devoted to more important and soul-satisfying activities. This month we will take that thought a bit further and look at the costs of pursuing that rock.

While we all have more or less of certain resources – like money, friends, health, energy, intelligence or creativity – we all have the same amount of time in a day. How we spend that time makes all of the difference in the quality and satisfaction we have in life.

When we spend our resources haphazardly or in ways that do not support our highest goals, we miss the opportunity to spend those resources in more effective ways. In business, this is called an opportunity cost. If we spend our time and other resources in ways that do not lead to progress in goals or our definition of success (see blog post Enough Success (#22)), then those spent resources are wasted. This is particularly tragic when our resources are spent on someone else’s goals or definition of success.

The point is that you will expend time and effort regardless of the outcome, the goal is to have the time and effort pointing in the direction of that which is truly most important to you…not to other people. Your goals should not be dictated by The Joneses, and certainly not influenced by social media posers. See the blog post What I Love About Tiny Houses (#29) for a good illustration of this idea.

How tragic it is at the end of a life spent climbing the ladder of success only to realize too late it was leaning against the wrong wall. Take some time this month to intentionally examine where your ladder is leaning. What is the opportunity cost of your current lifestyle? Is the long-term cost of pursuing that rock worth the investment? I hope the answer is an enthusiastic “yes!” If not, maybe it’s time to look for another opportunity.