Think Long-Term to Subsequent-Order Benefits

Most of us tend to be short-term thinkers, often only seeing and acting on what is just ahead of, or just behind us.

This is why we tend to fall victim to instant gratification, at the peril of longer-term outcomes.

It’s also why so many people proclaim that the world has never been any worse than it is today, despite the fact that just one hundred years ago, kids worked in coal-mines, and running water, electricity, healthcare, and education were luxuries that only the few could access.

Subsequent Order Consequences

Hedge fund manager, Ray Dalio, made the case for thinking in subsequent orders of consequence in his hugely successful book, Principles: Life and Work.

In it, he posits that “the first-order consequences of exercise (pain and time spent) are commonly considered undesirable, while the second-order consequences (better health and more attractive appearance) are desirable. Similarly, food that tastes good is often bad for you and vice versa”.

Subsequent-Order Benefits

Reflecting on this and my entrepreneurial journey, subsequent order consequences, and more specifically, benefits, are everywhere. Often-times, the subsequent-order benefits are much greater than the…