Short-termism is at epidemic proportions in our world, and it’s hurting us.

Why? Because there are an enormous number of things that take time. Learning just about anything takes time. Attention to detail takes time. Relationships take time. Most great work takes time.

But we live in a world of instant gratification and short attention spans. Buy now and get it shipped tomorrow. Forget exercise and diet; just get an operation, and the weight disappears. No need to read a book; just watch a video summary and be the smartest person in town.

In business, it’s a strategy—make the widget, sell a lot of them, count the money, make your nut, and sell out to the highest bidder. It’s advertising instead of marketing. It’s “Hey, look at us, buy our thing,” instead of “Get to know us, and maybe we can help you.”

Short-termism is the lazy way. It’s quick and efficient, and you can get out without much struggle.

Long-termism, though, is work. And what you don’t get in efficiency, you make up for in longevity and meaning.

Essentially, short-termers think “quicker,” while long-termers think “better.”

Short-termism is what creates one-hit wonders because one-hit wonders quit trying to be better. They take the easy route of trying to repeat the past. While the one hit succeeds, the following tries are just bad copies.

The truth is that very little gets better overnight. Muscles don’t build overnight. Intelligence doesn’t come overnight. All of those take time, practice, and study.

It’s almost a natural law. As any carpenter knows, “measure twice, cut once.” But we have succumbed to “measure once and cut once” or, in some cases, “don’t measure at all; just cut it.”

What does that get us? Low-quality, average, mediocre. Is that what we want? Do we want surgeons to be low-quality, average, and mediocre? Do we want our food and drinking water to be low-quality, average, and mediocre? Do we want parachute instructors to be low-quality, average, and mediocre?

Are we all okay with receiving average because it’s quick, or do we want more? Be careful in your answer because more involves effort. More is a higher standard.

However, if more is your answer, you must be mindful; succumbing to easy is an inviting trap you must avoid. To be a leader in the long-termer movement, you must have resolve. Reach up. Do more. Do better. Turn away from low-quality, average, and mediocre. You, as well as those you serve, deserve it.

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