When I was younger, I thought constantly about the things I wanted to accomplish, because we live in a society that’s geared toward achievement. But when I was being encouraged to dream big back then, nobody ever warned me about tradeoffs. Nobody warned me that you give up some things in order to pursue other things. I was under the impression I could have it all.
I’ve thought a lot about choices in the past few years. For a long time, I tried to avoid making choices, because I looked at life as a buffet where you just kept adding to your plate. Maybe my metaphor wasn’t too far off, but I didn’t realize that the “plate” we have in life is of a limited size. If your plate is full, something has to come off as you add more to it.
If you devote yourself to pursuing a dream of some kind — wealth, fame, early retirement, whatever the carrot dangling in front of you is — you always give up something else. Only you can decide which tradeoffs are worth it — and nobody can spare you from the certainty of having to make the choices, whether they’re conscious or unconscious.
As I thought about this Monday night, I was reminded of a quote from investment guru Jim Rogers. In his book, “Investment Biker,” he discussed the tradeoffs involved in pursuing whatever it is you want:

Outer storms will end, but storms in my heart do lasting damage
Pride can drive dumb behaviors, even if subject is just car lights
No matter how admired you are, your work won’t make you special
Experimentation produces beauty that won’t come from slavishly following One True Way
Death of stranger’s dog reminds me how much dogs mean to us
I can live without ‘Galt’s Gulch,’ but I need my ‘Akston’s diner’
Sweet love story or tale of a sucker? Your bias creates narrative for you
Pro-free market candidates don’t promise price targets on gasoline
To think clearly, turn off the tube: Your television is not your friend