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In business, there is this little thing called ‘opportunity cost.’ And really, the concept is very simple. Opportunity cost is what you give up in order to get something. A lot of business decisions and choices are made up from this perspective.

For instance, your wife might decide to go back to work part time. What you give up is the attention to the kids, the sanity of your wife (and you!), and the chores which are usually taken care of when you get home. What you receive is a paycheck and health benefits if you’re lucky.

Unlike a lot of my ramblings, there is actually a reason I am writing about opportunity cost. I had to use it to base a decision on that could have affected quite a few things in my life. I was given a pretty good job offer for a company that I am consulting for.

The job I was offered was one that carried quite a bit of weight to it. Not only would I be back in the sales industry, but I would also have the burden of most of the web work, as well as the task of project management. On top of all that, it is in a largely struggling industry.  Why would I go from the nice little life I lead to one of punishment?

What can I say, I like a challenge and I love learning new things.

So I sat down, made a list of the good and bad things, and thought about each point. Even though the salary was respectable and there was built in commission (so earning power was limitless), I couldn’t help but think about what I would be giving up.

I would give up my come-and-go-as-I-please lifestyle. I would have to answer to someone. There would be a dress code (even though I typically dress accordingly… It’s just that if I feel like wearing jeans, I feel like wearing jeans!). I would have to put up with the corporate style bullshit. I would not be able to expand my companies as I see fit. And on and on…

All for the possibility of a paycheck and paid health benefits! Oh, and an ever expanding pool of people to network with. That’s a big positive.

In the end, I figured that it wasn’t worth me giving up everything that has sustained my existence in the past two years so that I could work 60 or 70 hours a week. It wasn’t worth it to me. The opportunity cost was too high.

With that being said, I hope that everyone reading has a very profitable, safe and happy 2008. I will do my best to help you along your way. In fact – I have some things up my sleeve which I think you’ll like.