Is the catch worth the hunt?

23 Mar 2010 3 Comments

by thebaboose in Psychology Tags: making decisions, prioritizing, self-help

Is the catch worth the hunt?

This is a very important question to ask when making a decision to learn a new skill or trade. Are the energy, money and time invested in the hunt worth the catch (the skill or trade gained)? Could your time and money be spent more wisely for something more enjoyable or profitable? Choosing unwisely could cost you hours of valuable time, money and energy.

What triggered me to ask the question “Is the catch worth the hunt?” is the fact that I am at a fork in the road with several paths in front of me. On the one hand, I would like to work in a Japanese company; on the other hand, I would like to work as a part-time English teacher and freelance Japanese to English translator. Whatever road I choose, I must devote a tremendous amount of time and energy to polish my current skills and to develop new ones.

For example, if I want to work in a Japanese company, I will have to devote hundreds of hours to learn how to write Chinese characters and speak business Japanese. If I head in the direction of being a freelance translator, I will have to study English grammar, write compositions everyday, and study translation. This is where the question of “Is the catch worth the hunt?” comes into play. Would the hunt to learn English grammar (at a professional level) be worth the time spent hunting it? My answer would be yes, if I choose to become a translator. No, if I choose to work in a Japanese company.

Basically, what I am trying to say is that every time we devote ourselves to learning a new skill, we are giving up an opportunity to improve current skills or to develop new skills. This presents a problem because the amount of time we have is finite and it forces us to prioritize between choices. It is for this very reason I must put off learning Chinese and many other things for now – improving my Japanese is much more important.

Take a look at the things you are studying or doing now. Is the catch worth the hunt?

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