Everyone should have a Personal Objective Function.? This helps *everywhere*?
I end up talking about it all of the time - especially interviews.
When making a decision, it’s imperative to first decide what you care about.? This is as true in life as it is in work.? For me, I really care about impact.? How can I have the *most* positive impact??
Then, ask yourself what that means exactly.? I call this my “Personal Impact Equation.”? It looks like this:
ANTICIPATED IMPACT = (HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN IT HELP?) x (HOW MUCH WILL IT HELP THEM?) x (HOW LIKELY IS IT TO BE SUCCESSFUL?) x (HOW MUCH CAN *I* ADD TO ITS SUCCESS?)
When people would ask me, “Why are you still working at Forward after 8 years?” I explain the above equation & then walk them through it:
At Forward, solving global healthcare…
- How many people can it help? Billions
- How much will it help them? Save their life
- How likely is it to be successful? ~20%
- How much can I add to its success? I'm the primary inventor of physical tech … so, a lot.
Thus, my anticipated impact is: I can significantly improve a 20% chance of saving billions of lives
For me that was the whole reason.? And now, after Forward, my current endeavor is one of the only things that actually beats Forward in terms of expected impact!? Onward & upward!!
Now, your equation could optimize for anything - money, work-life-balance, learning, power, position, fun, fulfillment, stress, travel, proving yourself to your parents - you name it.? That’s totally up to you.? It may even change as you grow.? GREAT!
I guarantee that knowing your Personal Objective Function will help you make better decisions every time.