I was focused and feeling good about a project I was working on recently.
But then my husband came into my office and sat down to chat.
I was engaged in the flow of my project, but my husband doesn’t come in often to chat. If I were to say just a minute, he’d probably leave and carry on with his day.
I then remembered learning about trading up. It has to do with a Law of Sacrifice which says,
“You cannot get something you want, without giving up something in return. In order to attain something you believe is of greater value, you must give up something you believe is of lesser value.” Brett McKay
What you are gaining is more important than what you are giving up, hence the trading up.
I am trading something of lesser value for something of greater value.
I asked myself in that moment, what is of greater worth to me, the project I was involved in or the relationship with my husband?
Though what I was working on was important, in the long term the relationship was definitely of greater consequence. So trying up was not a difficult decision.
Taking a few minutes from a project was a small price to pay for a strengthened relationship.
Here’s to recognizing what we value most and always trading up.
With love,
