Mark Manson, the author of the bestselling book The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck*, wrote a blog post based on a story shared by CTV News, Canada. Mohamed El-Erian, the CEO of the $2 trillion bond fund PIMCO, was earning a comfortable salary of about $100 million a year and had a thriving career. Some people might say he had it all.
El-Erian shocked the world when he resigned. You might be wondering why he did that, right? What could be better than a $100 million salary? $200 million? No! Earning a higher salary was not the reason he left his job. He wanted to spend more time with his 10-year-old daughter.
Of course, news like this can’t help but stir excitement in our society today. It sparks a wave of curiosity and challenges society’s obsession with amassing wealth and prosperity.
The turning point in El-Erian’s story came during a disagreement with his daughter about brushing her teeth. His request was met with resistance, and his response was, “I am your father, and you will do as I say.” In response, she wrote a list of twenty-two moments in that year of her life when her father was absent because of work.
Realizing the loss of those precious moments sparked something in El-Erian, and he decided to give up his high-paying job to be a better father.
The essence of opportunity cost lies in the fact that you can have anything, but you can’t have everything. And, especially, not everything at the same time. But patience and decisiveness can help. Take the donkey as an example. It can still survive if it is determined to eat for ten minutes, then drink water.
Derek Sivers, the thinker and author of Anything You Want, says, “If you’re 30 years old and have six different paths you want to pursue, then you could do each one for ten years and complete them all by the time you’re 90. It sounds crazy to plan for your 90s when you’re only 30, doesn’t it?
But that could happen, so you might as well make use of it. You can focus all your energy on one path at a time without feeling conflicted or distracted because you know you will get to the other paths as well.”
Patience is a virtue and a path to fulfillment. Satisfy your hunger first, then your thirst. Be patient and pay attention to how time works – you can accomplish a lot over time. Go to Fiji, learn Chinese, and eat pizza this time. Next time, you might enjoy a wonderful time in Tahiti, improve your communication skills, and eat sushi. Except that you might still be busy learning Chinese, because that is a really tough language!
Every choice you make is also a sacrifice. For El-Erian, he chose his daughter over his job. The bolder the choice, the higher the “opportunity cost” you have to pay. People in high positions are admired in our society for their money and success. What people don’t see is the opportunity cost behind those accomplishments.
Bill Gates is famous for sleeping in his office, and Angelina Jolie never steps out without being photographed or harassed by the media. But remember, these are their choices, and they are willing to accept the opportunity costs that come with them.
So, next time you get caught in a tug-of-war between YOLO and FOMO, remember that life is not about having everything at once. Life is about making choices, prioritizing, being patient, and fully committing to your decisions. This is your life, your journey – navigate it with courage and sincerity.
