ROI (Return on Investment)

When you invest your money, you expect a return. If your cost was more than your gain, this is usually considered a failure. There are times when you take the hit for the better of the company, but generally cost < gain.

Because we're dumb. Well, at least I am. Stick with me for a while. This is deeeefinitely not a black and white topic, but I want to explore it for a while.

So if what we would all do as business owners is to be calculated, why don't we apply the same tactics to the things that matter the most, like our well-being, our state of mind, our heart? Where is our return on investment with matters of the heart? Where, when we sink innumerable hours and days and weeks of time and thought and dreams and wishes and hopes and tears into people, is our return on investment then? Why, through phone calls and emails and texts and dinners, do we forget about the quality of life compared to the nature of the investment. What will it take for me to look at the logical side of the equation. Whatever happened to making decisions, not just 'having feelings?' People (yes, people) say they can't control how they feel. You see someone, you begin to like them your enjoy their shortcomings, your pursue, you wait, to bait, you do everything in your consciousness to place yourself in their good graces, hoping that one day, this magical gift will one day pay off.

Bull. 'Can't control how you feel.' Ha! I believe you can. I believe quite matter-of-factly that you can.

And I believe it was a decision in the first place that made you pursue. Sure, your heart, or more accurately your eyes, will get you started in that direction. But you still stop at the end of the day and think, 'yes,' I want to continue this pursuit... 'yes' this makes sense to me... 'yes' I will allow this to continue... 'yes' my thoughts will be occupied... 'yes' I'm in.

So why can't you stop that? Because your heart says this person is the right one? Apparently not. You hear about stories of one person 'chasing' someone for years, always waiting, biding time, and hoping that one day, things will work out. And then they do. How can that possibly be a mutually invested relationship?? What's the equation end up being? Well that doesn't quite work, since the scale is probably weighted. If, after all that time, the relationship will make you eternally happy, then the profit will always outweigh the gain. But that's only if that relationship makes you eternally happy.

Don't you think there might be some thought of 'why did it take this long? did you just explore every other option and settle on me?' Are those questions EVER worth asking? Is it ever worth feeling like someone that you have pined for, simply settled on you because you were the safe bet. The safety valve. The dump off pass against top notch defensive backs. Everyone down field is covered, the quarterback finally feels the pressure, rolls out, scrambles, and finally sees the one person that never strayed too far away...

Now where's your Return on Investment? Now how many decisions were made 'for' your heart? Now how are you sleeping at night?

There comes a time when your mind can overpower your heart. I'm not saying always. There are times when your heart, undeniably strong, can take over. But your heart doesn't have eyes. So as blind as love is, so are mistakes in love. Maybe it takes some logical sight to help keep your head above water. To cut your losses. To find a better deal. And in the matter of people, to find a 1/1 ratio of investment to return, since after all, we're not a business. We're a group of beings that should be more concerned with love. So while we will stumble into devastating losses that no business manager would approve, the good and the bad, the easy and the difficult, will hopefully one day prepare you for gaining every ounce that you invested, a mutual partnership, and one that gives your heart, and mind, every nutrient needed to thrive.