The Power of Long-Term Thinking in a Short Term World

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how we navigate our careers in a world driven by instant gratification. I recently revisited one of my favourite reads, The Almanack of Naval Ravikant, and gosh it hit me right in the core of what we face daily. We’re constantly balancing short-term wins with the long game, and Naval’s ideas about playing long-term games with long-term people really got me reflecting on my own journey.

Short-Term Games: The Quick Wins We Love (and Sometimes Regret)

How often have we felt the pressure to take on “just one more client” or dive into a hot new therapy technique or PD because it's all the rage? I remember early in my career, I would say yes to every opportunity. “Yes, I’ll take that extra client!” “Yes, I’ll attend that weekend seminar!” It was a whirlwind, and while those short-term wins felt great, over time I realised they came with consequences. I was learning so many things, but in no one direction, which in effect meant I was treading water.

Without a doubt, short-term games do have value. They help us build momentum, adapt quickly, and yes, as a basic level pay the bills. But they can also lead us to chase our tails, and spread ourselves too thin trying to do more without thinking about the bigger picture. It took me quite a few years into my career to understand that there’s a difference between movement and progress.

Long-Term Games with Long-Term People: The Real Investment

The idea provoking this article is one of my favourite highlights from Naval’s Almanack, “Play long-term games with long-term people.” Looking back on my relatively short career in the scheme of life, I've noticed a shift: job-hopping has become so common that building long-term relationships seems less of a priority. Now, I’m not saying you should stay in one job forever—I moved roles every 15 months before starting my own business—but it’s worth asking: what connections from those roles are you nurturing, even after you’ve moved on?

I’ve found that the most rewarding parts of my career have been in building deep, genuine relationships. This could involve investing in quality over quantity with clients, committing to continuous education, mentoring or being mentored. The trust and reputational capital built in these long-term relationships compound over time, opening opportunities and creating a resilient professional network.

The Magic of Compound Interest (Yes, Even in OT!)

If we are talking about long term games and relationships it's a natural Segway to talk about the power of compound interest, and not in relation to wealth, but in relationships and knowledge. My second favourite highlight in Naval's musings is extrapolating the notion of compound interest to things other than money. For us as health professionals, the compound effect applies to skill development, client relationships, and personal growth. Regular investment in learning, self-care, and consistent high-quality service builds credibility and expertise that snowball over time, leading to increased opportunities and impact.

"All the returns in life, whether in wealth, relationships, or knowledge, come from compound interest." Naval Ravikant

Balancing Short and Long-Term Decisions: My Approach

If you're living in the moment and don't have longer term goals on your horizon it is easy to be allured by short-term wins. The starting point if you are in this mode, is to contemplate what the goals on your horizon might be. I still have moments (daily) where I’m tempted to say yes to everything. But I’ve learned (the hard way!) to ask myself a couple of questions before jumping in:

1. Is this taking me closer to where I want to be in the next 5 years?
2. What’s the opportunity cost of this yes? (In plain terms: What am I giving up by saying yes to this?)

On occasion, I say yes anyway to the short game anyway, it’s not about dismissing everything entirely but about being mindful of the trade-offs. Sometimes I consider the trade off worthwhile, but on a whole I have the tools and capacity to know what decisions will bring me closer to my goals and what won't.

In a field like ours, where the pressures of the now can be so intense, I think it’s crucial to reflect on what playing the long game looks like for each of us. Maybe it’s about building a reputation for uncompromising quality with our clients or investing time in developing new grads. Maybe it's about cultivating the patience to see through complex cases rather than looking for quick fixes.

Whatever it is, when we commit to the long-term game, even in the face of discomfort or delayed gratification, we set the stage for a career that not only sustains us but that we thrive in.

I’d love to hear your thoughts: How do you balance short-term and long-term decisions in your career?