Main Quest or Side Quest? Prioritizing Business Goals for Long-Term Success
In video gaming, players often have a central mission or "main quest" to complete to finish the game and achieve victory. Along the way, however, gamers are tempted by various "side quests"—smaller missions that offer additional rewards but aren't essential for completing the game. Similarly, businesses often struggle to focus on their main objectives while smaller opportunities or "side hustles" crop up to distract them.
The Lure of the Side Quest
Side quests in video games offer immediate gratification: quick rewards, minor character upgrades, or brief narrative diversions. Similarly, side hustles in business can provide quick cash inflows or diversification. However, these often come at the expense of your core mission. They consume resources—time, money, and energy—that could otherwise be devoted to your primary objectives.
The Risk of Losing Focus
Imagine playing a video game where you spend so much time on side quests that your character becomes under-leveled for the main quest. In business, stretching yourself too thin by chasing multiple small opportunities can have a similar effect. Your main business might suffer due to neglect, or you may lose competitive advantage by not innovating or scaling as quickly as you should.
Evaluate the Opportunity Cost
Evaluate its opportunity cost before embarking on any side quest or business hustle. Ask yourself:
How much time and resources will it take?
Will it distract my team from our main objectives?
Is the potential return worth the investment?
Real-World Example: The Tattoo Artist's Dilemma
Imagine you're a tattoo artist trying to run a successful studio. Your main quest is straightforward: provide high-quality tattoos in a clean and inviting environment, aiming for client satisfaction and repeat business.
However, the lure of side hustles starts to beckon. You think about launching a line of aftercare products for tattoos, setting up a small art print business online, or even offering basic piercing services yourself.
While these side hustles offer the promise of additional income and novelty, they also come with costs. Managing an online art print business would demand your attention for order fulfillment, customer service, and inventory. Adding piercing services necessitates training, new equipment, and additional licensing.
After weighing these options, you realize that each of these side hustles could use up your focus and resources. Instead of enhancing your main quest of being the best tattoo artist in your area, they might actually hinder it. By dedicating time to these side quests, you have less time, energy, money, etc. to dedicate to your main quest. Your core service—tattooing—could suffer, as a result, a risk you're not willing to take.
Final Thoughts
Side quests and business hustles are tempting because they promise quick, easy rewards. But just as completing side quests shouldn't come at the expense of the main quest in a video game, these small opportunities shouldn't distract you from your core business goals. Stay focused, evaluate opportunities carefully, and ensure all activities contribute to your ultimate objectives.
Disclaimer: The views and examples presented in this article are based on my experience and opinions. While I have been in the tattoo and piercing industry for some time, I'm not a business expert or consultant. The insights shared here are meant to provoke thought and discussion but should not be considered professional advice.