Count the Cost

Count The Cost

Counting
break.

Many, perhaps most, of our decisions are not made in a vacuum.  At the very least, their ramifications or consequences don't end up staying in the vacuum.  It's important to ensure that, as best as possible, we try to "count the cost" of a thing before we dive in head first.  In the Bible, Luke 14:28  is perhaps the first mention where Jesus uses the parable of building a tower and the idea of being "all in."  When we're starting out on a journey or a process in one of the Zig Lanes of Life, we need to try to, as Stephen Covey put it, "begin with the end in mind."  By laying out "what does success look like" in definite terms, we can then begin to assign costs and commodities to the conversation.  

Sometimes 
you need a 
counting team.

When we talk cost and commodity in a new undertaking, it's important to walk through the potential ramifications and realities.  Saying "yes" to the new volunteer activity or youth extracurricular may come at the monthly financial cost of, say $50 dollars.  It may come at the time cost of 20 hours per month.  It may come at the opportunity cost of missing 4 family dinner nights or skipping movie night.  It may come at the "fairness" cost of saying "yes" to something else for your spouse or other children to level the playing field.  When we break down the commodities and calculate the "all-in" cost it allows us to make a much more informed consumer decision on what we're saying yes to when we say "yes." 

Counting practice.

From a financial perspective, take the new kitchen remodel project.  Sit down and map out the goals (e.g. new appliances vs new cupboards vs new floor vs all-of-the-above) and then assign realistic prices.  Add in the labor costs, permitting costs, and all the others.  Then, consider what you could-would do with those dollars if they weren't going into the kitchen.  Walk through the right rubric cost that matters to you, say "cost per meal prep" or something...will you be measurably happier or more efficient each time you make a meal with the new kitchen?  Roll in the time, stress, frustration, and so forth into the equation to come up with the all-in counted cost to make the best decision...not just the emotional rush from HGTV and a top line sticker price.   

Count.

As you're setting out on a new project or idea, you can see how cost could be defined in terms of time, money, resources, political/social capitol, or probably any of several other "rubrics" or "ladders" that fit your particular situation.  The wholistic measurement helps us better determine if the proverbial "juice is worth the squeeze."  This intentional, careful, thoughtful calculation provides you insights and helps you live a more intentional life...not just doing something because someone else did...or it sounded good in the moment.  Don't mishear here...this isn't about analysis paralysis or busting out your Abacus or spreadsheet to figure out where you're going to dinner on Friday night.  It is about helping you avoid unintended consequences and buyer's remorse or regret along the way.  

Get good with
the little stuff.

While it sounds like a time intensive process...good news is...like most things, you'll get better and faster with time.  When you first start thinking through the "total cost" it'll take a minute.  As you do this more often or create yourself a little cheat sheet of your big priorities, it'll speed up the process.  Eventually, it becomes a routine conversation and second nature as a family.  We were awkward at this when we first got started...now, when a new opportunity pops up, we're pretty good as a family at walking through the pros/cons/costs in conversation.  Our kids are even getting it down that, "sure, I'd like to do this...but not more than I wouldn't like to do that."  

Go see big
towers.

We teach baby firefighters, "risk a lot to save a savable life, risk a little to save salvageable property, and risk nothing when we're too late to save either."  This mantra helps us count up the cost quickly in our 360 degree size-up.  One of the first steps when a firetruck shows up to a house fire is that the officer (person in charge) quickly goes all the way around the problem (house fire), looking for any potential hazards, opportunities, and tries to "see" the whole picture instead of just a snapshot from one perspective.  This quick "bird's eye view" so to speak helps the officer "count the cost" so they can apply the right amount of resource based on the risk.  

Account for all 
the parts.

With any decision in life, just like with a house fire, we can't know with any certainty, exactly what is going on and every single detail.  We can use our experience, wisdom, and size-up on a problem to get much closer.  For example, recently we considered a cross-country move for that "big new job" that would pay more dollars and stoke the ego.  At face value...dang, no brainer.  The size-up of the whole situation told a different story.  The real cost in terms of finance wasn't the bottom dollar of the salary...it had to also include home prices, cost of living, state income tax, and so forth to get an apples-to-apples comparison.  In another realm, it'd also take a certain (likely large) number of hours to get moved, get used to the new job, longer commute, find a new house, develop new relationships, etc.  Those hours would have to come at the cost of discretionary time...family time.  

Figure out
the all-in
numbers.

We could've easily said "yes" to that job...and ultimately made the most of it...but regretted it.  The emotion and ego pull could've gotten us in over our heads.  By slowing down just a little bit to do the whole "360 size-up" of the situation a "let's go...risk it all" answer became a "not so much" answer with just a little bit of contemplation.  On the fire ground, the "let's go in...it's just a little smoke showing" when we pull up can be a "pump the brakes" when we go around the back and realize the fire's been burning a long time with flames squirting out of every window and the floor has burned through...an almost certain firefighter down scenario in the making.  

Run the 
numbers.

As we wrap up, the salient point here is, slow down enough that you don't inadvertently shoot off the cliff...or at least if you're going to shoot off the cliff, you know what it's going to cost...and what you're going to do about it (pack a parachute, wear a helmet, update your life insurance, etc.)  Start small with the next time someone asks you to join a new organization, take on a new work project, or whatever else.  Instead of the off-the-cuff "sure," start with, "let me think about it and get back to you tomorrow." Then, with a little distance from the decision...walk through the all-in cost and make an informed, intentional decision.  Best of luck...your schedule (at some level a measure or report card/score card of your life values) is worth it.  

With you in the arena, from ours to yours...Happy Trails!

Call to Action: 

• Pick out a couple of examples this week to practice counting the all in cost.  New little league opportunity?  Friend asked you to do the pickleball league?  Good idea fairy at work on an optional project?  
• 1 - ___________________ 
• 2 - ___________________
• 3 - ___________________
• Discussion: Consider what you/your family could/would/should (level of commitment) and start/stop/sustain (action) in terms of walking through the cost of stuff...the real cost.  That new toy or video game translates into 10 hours of work...which could be filled with X, or Y, or Z. 

Further Reading, Motivation, and References:

- Billy Graham on Counting the Cost in following Jesus

- Luke 14:28