In business we measure everything. "Objectively" and subjectively. And at the personal level we also judge. Each other, ourselves. The pressure is on. And as a consequence we exaggerate. We inflate. The numbers in the business case, our CVs, and our dating profiles. Sometimes to the extend that we are at risk at forgetting what is real. And not even seeing the reflection in the mirror. Are we a good investment?
Hand on your heart. Your sales pitch aside. If we were to honestly evaluate our own ROI - the return on investment the world has gotten from investing in us as human beings - have we been a good investment? Remember that ROI is not just about the positive cash flows - we have to include the costs also.
We live in a world where entitlement flourish. And the higher up the ladder you are, the more entitled you are likely to feel. Recently, I was reading about a behavioural study, showing that people in BMWs, Mercedes and other luxury cars drive more aggressively. They simply feel they are more entitled. In corporate life it is easy to get caught in entitlement as well. Years back, when I was strategic advisor to a CEO, I thanked him for the company Christmas present. He was shocked - he said nobody had ever said thank you for the Christmas present before. Maybe because they felt they were entitled to it.
Spending time in a place like Bali, where I am currently visiting, is interestingly different. When driving on a scooter, it is common to come across dogs napping in the middle of the street. And Bali dogs don't scare easily. They are used to people simply going around them. Most Balinese don't feel more entitled to the road than the dog who was on the road first. Quite a contrast to the person in the BWM from above.
If you are still figuring out how to calculate your ROI to the world, it is understandable. It may sound simple. But it is not so easy. What criteria should your ROI be based on and how would you contribute for example your emotional contribution to your family or your mentoring efforts in your company? Should your ROI be positive in sub-segments or from an overall world perspective? Maybe it is more about how you feel about it. Are you true to your values? Are you living with scarcity or abundance thinking? Are you sharing your wealth - monetary-, skills-, and knowledge-wise as well as emotionally?
And if you don't think your ROI is positive - what are you going to do about it?
Maybe you want to become a better person? Have a more positive ROI. But you are not sure how. And already, the idea of figuring it out is a bit scary. It may actually require some work, and going to places (inside yourself), that you haven't been for a long time. You may decide on some sub-segment in your life where being a positive ROI is really important to you. This time I will not offer a stepwise approach. Consider it an optional extracurricular activity with freedom of expression!
To me it is more about making sure that we are putting ourselves out there. All of it. And offering our best to the world. That is when we can maximize the ROI of ourselves.
And this is how we increase our happiness. By contribution. There are several studies indicate that happiness and contentment is enhanced when we give back. So if you are stuck in a feeling of hamster wheel and existential crisis, finding a way to increase your ROI may not be such a bad idea..
First published on LinkedIn 2016 by Charlotte Cato
