Why not to ask if something is worth doing

January 22, 2016 by Joshua
in Choosing/Decision-Making, Perception, Tips

You get chances to do cool things: classes to take, hobbies to try, relationships to develop, books to read, movies to watch, and so on.

How do you decide which to do?

Most people look at the new thing and ask if it’s worth doing.

I recommend not asking that question. There are many things worth doing in the abstract. Too many.

I recommend instead asking what you’d have to stop doing to make time for it—a more discriminating question.

Asking what existing things to get rid of forces you to evaluate the new thing against your values in terms of your time, your most valuable and irreplaceable resource. It prevents you from overloading your schedule. It practices “You have to say no to a lot of good things to have a great life.” It recognizes that the hard part of deciding is what you cut off.

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