A lot of times when you have very short-term goals with a high payoff, nasty things can happen. In particular, a lot of people will take the low road there. They'll become myopic. They'll crowd out the longer-term interests of the organization or even of themselves.
Interpretation
Focusing on short-term goals can lead to unwise decisions that harm long-term interests.
This quote by Daniel H. Pink highlights the dangers of prioritizing immediate rewards over sustainable growth. It warns that individuals and organizations risk becoming shortsighted, potentially sacrificing lasting success and integrity for quick gains, which can lead to poor choices that have negative consequences.
In practice
In a business meeting discussing quarterly performance, one might reference this quote to highlight the importance of balancing short-term results with long-term strategy.
While complying can be an effective strategy for physical survival, it's a lousy one for personal fulfillment. Living a satisfying life requires more than simply meeting the demands of those in control. Yet in our offices and our classrooms we have way too much compliance and way too little engagement. The former might get you through the day, but only the latter will get you through the night.
Succeeding makes us feel good. But beating someone else makes us feel really good. Comparing ourselves to others and coming out on top creates a sense of entitlement. And when we feel entitled, we cheat more because, of course, the rules don't apply to awesome people like us.
When we make progress and get better at something, it is inherently motivating. In order for people to make progress, they have to get feedback and information on how they're doing.
We have this myth that extroverts are better salespeople. As a result, extroverts are more likely to enter sales; extroverts are more likely to get promoted in sales jobs. But if you look at the correlation between extroversion and actual sales performance - that is, how many times the cash register actually rings - the correlation's almost zero.
Too many people hold a very narrow view of what motivates us. They believe that the only way to get us moving is with the jab of a stick or the promise of a carrot. But if you look at over 50 years of research on motivation, or simply scrutinize your own behavior, it's pretty clear human beings are more complicated than that.
Greatness and nearsightedness are incompatible. Meaningful achievement depends on lifting one's sights and pushing toward the horizon.
The less versatile you are, the better you have to be at what you do well.
The mark of greatness is when everything before you is obsolete, and everything after you bears your mark.
If you want to make short-term profits from the stock price, then I am a very bad president. But I don't think I'm so bad for maximizing the long-term value of Nintendo.
Business is fun. Controlling your own destiny is fun. Creating an idea and turning it into a movie; finding an artist and guiding their career and bringing them to some type of status - there's joy in that.
There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures.
You don't have to specialize - do everything that you love and then, at some time, the future will come together for you in some form.
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