Short vs. long term thinking
I learned recently that our brain doesn't think in "good or bad" when it comes to decisions. It actually thinks in "long-term" versus "short-term." When considering decisions, we ask "is this going to be good for us in the long term or short term?"
My biggest takeaway is when we are in fight-or-flight mode, we favor short-term thinking, because it's good for us right now. It's very difficult to have space to imagine how it could be good for us later. We're too preoccupied with surviving.
Like it or not, musicians are often in this state where it can feel like life or death - whether it is auditions, high-stake performances, last-minute hiring scenarios, or financial volatility that impact operations. So it makes sense that we'd prefer short-term thinking. We want what is good for us right now.
Short-term thinking can fall into 3 kinds:
Gaining validation: How do we get them to like us? What can we do now to fit into the norm?
Instant gratification: What's going to make me happy right now? What's going to make me feel better right now?
Fear of missing out: How do we make sure we are not missing out right now? What's the hottest trend? How do we get in on it? Who's the most popular musician to hire now?
Do you do this? I do!
We respond to our discomfort and look for quick fixes to feel better - by fitting in, maintaining the status quo, or improving our status and popularity. We can end up grabbing at anything and everything without being mindful of the big picture.
On the other hand, long-term thinking is rooted in intention but requires more effort. So it helps to weigh the costs of short-term thinking against the benefits of long-term thinking.
A 2022 report (cited here) suggests that "short-term thinking produces greater divisiveness as the outcomes often produce winners and losers. And when you’re willing to sacrifice short-term gain…you build long-term trust."
How can we steer ourselves toward long-term thinking? Here's are 3 reframes to counter the three types of short-term thinking:
Gaining clarity of position: What do we want to be known for? What kind of audience and customers do we want to have? Do what I care about and what they care about align?
Delayed gratification: How do we focus on our core values and make them actionable in a long-term plan? What would make us feel good in a sustainable way? Ask when you are saying no to something now, what are you saying yes to later (and vice versa)?
Joy of missing out: Are the hot trends actually aligned with us or are we just attracted to the shiny popular thing? What may we actually gain by missing out? What about what we are currently doing that is more meaningful?
We can choose to spend effort now, and reap the rewards down the line.
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