http://www.lifebeyondcode.com/2005/12/04/ways-to-distinguish-yourself-72-be-willing-to-step-back-to-move-forward/ Personal and professional development for technology professionals. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:35:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.lifebeyondcode.com/2005/12/04/ways-to-distinguish-yourself-72-be-willing-to-step-back-to-move-forward/comment-page-1/#comment-390 Anonymous Sun, 04 Dec 2005 17:56:22 +0000 http://www.blog.lifebeyondcode.com/2005/12/04/ways-to-distinguish-yourself-72-be-willing-to-step-back-to-move-forward/#comment-390 Thanks Bill. What an amazing perspective. You are so right. One should not go back for the sake of going back or with an illusion that going back is the way going forward - it will be a recipe for failure. However, once the person has the wisdom to see an opportunity and if it means that he or she needs to go back to capture that opportunity, he should be willing to do so. Thanks again for the great comments. If you have a blog of your own, please share the link - so others can benefit! Thanks Bill. What an amazing perspective. You are so right. One should not go back for the sake of going back or with an illusion that going back is the way going forward – it will be a recipe for failure.
However, once the person has the wisdom to see an opportunity and if it means that he or she needs to go back to capture that opportunity, he should be willing to do so.
Thanks again for the great comments. If you have a blog of your own, please share the link – so others can benefit!

]]> http://www.lifebeyondcode.com/2005/12/04/ways-to-distinguish-yourself-72-be-willing-to-step-back-to-move-forward/comment-page-1/#comment-389 Anonymous Sun, 04 Dec 2005 17:10:06 +0000 http://www.blog.lifebeyondcode.com/2005/12/04/ways-to-distinguish-yourself-72-be-willing-to-step-back-to-move-forward/#comment-389 I think that sometimes it's hard to reshape your mind and be willing to take that step back.We condition ourselves to look forward to the next opportunity, and we hate to "give up" any ground we've made in our accompishments. In some cases, we're risk averse because of what an economist might call "sunk costs." We try to squeeze marginal value out of a past investment, even though a fresh investment in a new opportunity might yield greater results. If you spend $50 on a ticket for a concert that you're ony moderately interested in attending. Then, just before the event, you learn of a poetry reading by an author you really enjoy--the event costs $20. When confronted with that choice, many people will guilt themselves and go to the concert and have a so-so time rather than spend another $20 and have a great time. Sunk costs come in many forms--scuh as a 401K, a big office, and a secure paycheck. When you look risks such as the cut in pay, the smaller office, and the overall uncertainty, it can be pretty intimidating. Unlike the concert/poetry reading example, if you give up your perks for a new opportunity, you've got no idea of knowing how things will turn out. Will these sacrifices be only short-term or will they become long-term conditions? When you're facing this question, it can be hard to tell whether the step-backward offers real potential or just a fool's hope. After all, some steps backwards are really just that--steps backwards. So, in my mind, there's a two-part challenge. First, you have to be willing to take a step back to move forward. However, you also need insight to determine which steps backwards will offer a reasonable chance of a leap forward. I think that sometimes it’s hard to reshape your mind and be willing to take that step back.We condition ourselves to look forward to the next opportunity, and we hate to “give up” any ground we’ve made in our accompishments.
In some cases, we’re risk averse because of what an economist might call “sunk costs.” We try to squeeze marginal value out of a past investment, even though a fresh investment in a new opportunity might yield greater results.
If you spend $50 on a ticket for a concert that you’re ony moderately interested in attending. Then, just before the event, you learn of a poetry reading by an author you really enjoy–the event costs $20. When confronted with that choice, many people will guilt themselves and go to the concert and have a so-so time rather than spend another $20 and have a great time.
Sunk costs come in many forms–scuh as a 401K, a big office, and a secure paycheck. When you look risks such as the cut in pay, the smaller office, and the overall uncertainty, it can be pretty intimidating. Unlike the concert/poetry reading example, if you give up your perks for a new opportunity, you’ve got no idea of knowing how things will turn out.
Will these sacrifices be only short-term or will they become long-term conditions? When you’re facing this question, it can be hard to tell whether the step-backward offers real potential or just a fool’s hope. After all, some steps backwards are really just that–steps backwards.
So, in my mind, there’s a two-part challenge. First, you have to be willing to take a step back to move forward. However, you also need insight to determine which steps backwards will offer a reasonable chance of a leap forward.

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