LAW 11 — CHAPTER 11: The Law of Tradeoffs
You Have To Give Up To Go Up
LEARN IT
“The Hardest Part About Stealing Second Base Is Taking Your Foot Off Of First Base”
I. The Next Step
A. What will it take for you to go to the next level in your potential?
1. What are you willing to give up to go up to the next level?
2. What will you have to give up?
3. Not being willing to give up something is a key reason why most people do not ever reach their potential
II. The Truth About Tradeoffs
A. Tradeoffs are available to us throughout our lives
1. Unsuccessful people make bad tradeoffs
2. Average people make few tradeoffs
3. Successful people make good tradeoffs.
B. We must see tradeoffs as opportunities for growth
1. Discuss this quote: “We may not always get what we want; we always get what we choose.”
2. Two questions to ask in evaluating tradeoffs:
a. What are the pluses and minuses of this tradeoff?
b. Will I go through this change, or grow through this change?
C. Tradeoffs force us to make difficult personal changes
1. Discuss this idea John puts forth, “When you want something you have never had, you have to do something you have never done.”
2. Change is always possible, so remember these truths about change:
a. Change is personal – To change your life, YOU need to change
b. Change is possible – Everyone CAN change
c. Change is profitable – You will be rewarded when you change
3. Consider these three truths about the timing of change:
a. Changing when you have to gives you a win
b. Changing after you have to leads to a loss
c. Refusing change is death to your potential
D. The loss of the tradeoff is usually felt before the gain
1. This is one of the reasons people fear change – it just might hurt a bit
2. It is said, “Nature abhors a vacuum;” the same is true about our own spirits, but the transition time between the change and the fruit of the change can be a powerful formation time toward our maturity.
E. Most tradeoffs can be made at any time
1. Tradeoffs such as better health, better habits, and more education can be done along the way.
2. It is rarely ‘too late” to make the change
F. A few tradeoffs come only once
1. This is critical to developing your own potential
2. Missing a possible one-time tradeoffs may mean you change many great plans
G. The higher you climb, the tougher the tradeoffs
1. Many people stop growing because they have reached a height for which they are no longer willing to work to get higher.
2. The skills that got you to where you are right now are not the skills that will get you to the next level.
3. Consider your own potential – What will it feel like to tradeoff to get to your next level?
H. Tradeoffs never leave us the same
1. The “fear factor” of change is that I may have to be different – yes, you will.
2. Consider if where you are is where you want to remain? That is the change to be different.
I. Some tradeoffs are never worth the price
1. These are the tradeoffs that will damage, harm, or even ruin an entire life.
2. This is why we learn the law of delayed gratification when we are a child
3. This is the value question for all of us.
LIVE IT
“Start Trading Up”
III. Tradeoffs Worth Making
A. Financial security for potential tomorrow
1. There is no future in any job. The future lies in the man who holds it.
2. If you have even lost a job, how secure were you on the day before you were notified?
B. Giving up immediate gratification for personal growth
C. Willing to give up the fast life for the good life
1. Reflect on these suggestions to help focus your life:
a. What can you delegate to others?
b. Do what you do best, and drop the rest
c. Control your calendar, or someone else will
d. Do what you love because it will give you energy
e. Work with people you like so your energy is not depleted.
D. Give up some security for significance
1. No one will ever achieve their potential while remaining is a “safe” place.
2. Being significant means taking chance on others as well to help them find their potential.
E. Willing to give up addition for multiplication
1. Be willing to lead leaders who will lead, not just followers who will follow
2. Seek partnerships and collaboration for doing just about everything
3. Share, not hoard resources and knowledge with others
4. Find ways to make sure the credit for achievement is shared
5. Be a conduit for blessings, not a reservoir of assets.
Facilitation Questions Options
OVERCOME GROWING PAINS
(Specific Steps to Amazing Growth)
• Write your own personal list of tradeoff principles
Use the list in this chapter to begin this list:
1. I am willing to give up financial security today for potential tomorrow
2. I am willing to give up immediate gratification for personal growth
3. I am willing to give up the fast life for the good life
4. I am willing to give up security for significance
5. I am willing to give up addition for multiplication
• As important as tradeoffs, is knowing what you are not willing to tradeoff. List some things for which there will be no compromise.
• As you list the “No Compromise” areas, also develop some safety measures that will ensure you never stray from these priorities.
• What trade do you need to make today? What is your next level, and what will it cost you to get there?
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