[Transcript starts at 0:40]
Hello, hello, hello, my podcast people. And thank you for joining me for yet another episode of my favorite online business podcast. If you're tuning in, if you're listening, if you are watching on the day that this drops, it is Monday, July 27th.
This podcast be aging me and not in like, Oh, it's tough to do. And so I'm aging. No, I just, again, I record it in the present.
It goes out in the future. And I'm thinking about the future and talking about the future. And I'm like, it's not today's actually July 20th when I'm recording it.
This will drop in the 27th and just thinking about the fact that it's almost the end of July has me in my feels. Cause I love the summer. It's also where I live here.
Right. Endless summer. But it is like summer, summer right now, which means it's warm, which means actually this episode is going to be shorter because when it's, we get like a week of summer, summer during which everyone also complains and it's like, y'all pick, pick your battles.
Uh, but it is like, you know, 75 it's high seventies. So when people talk about California, like, Oh, 70 and sunny and 75, I'm like, that's actually warm. And you don't want it to be that, that one.
It seems like it's like, it was like 75 this morning. I don't want to do this now, but it's very warm inside because no one has AC because it's never gets that hot. So we have this like one week, which means that when I'm recording this podcast, I have the fan off.
I have the windows closed so that the sound is good for you. Fine folks, which means that I'm hot. So we're gonna keep the episode a little bit shorter.
Also use the time, go outside, touch some grass, get some sun on your face. But jump jumping into the episode last week's episode was basically full of life updates because it was just a recap of, uh, so we're going to hop right on into today's main topic, which is a discussion about one of my least favorite questions. Is it worth it? Fucking hate that question.
My least favorite question I would say hands down is what was your biggest failure? Get the fuck out of here with that. I hate that question. I think it's a lazy podcasting question.
I think people ask us, I think they're supposed to. And then it's just like, it's a, it's a bad question. I've always said that.
And I've gone on multiple podcasts. I'm like, I've been like, this is the worst question. And like, here's why I think it's not a good question.
Here's my answer. Uh, but today we're talking about, look at my hair. If you're watching this video, wow.
Need a haircut. Uh, today we're talking about the question. Is it worth it? Right.
And I want to talk about this from both the asker and the askee positions. Right. So worth noting, I was not recently asked this question, thankfully, but I did see it in someone's stories, uh, and in, in the most, you know, pointed and clear way, it finally gave me language.
I was like, oh, I can articulate why I don't like this and how to make this question better. Uh, and so I was like, I gotta make an, I gotta put something out somewhere. And actually I decided to go with an episode.
I was like, where can I articulate this? And podcasting is always my, my go-to, my go-to medium. Cause I can just articulate things a lot easier. There's more nuances, more room.
And so here we are talking about this. Uh, so the reason I hate this question so much is because no one else can truly ever tell you if something is or will be quote unquote worth it or not. Right.
Your life experiences, your beliefs, your values, literally everything that makes you, you goes into how you value something and thus whether you ultimately deem something worth it or not. Gonna give an example because I think it might help drive home the point. I think that most of my listeners, you folks, you viewers, we're on the same wavelength with this, but I do want to give an example, not to convince anyone of anything, but sometimes I feel like we hear an example and we're like, oh, it's settled.
And like, yes, I really, I get it. All right. So there's an example I think might drive home the point here.
Um, which is I personally don't really care for ice cream. Like it's fine, but it's not my go-to first choice for anything sweet. So if asked, someone wants to ask me like, where should I go get ice cream? I do have a spot that I like, I will recommend a place it's in.
They have one in Culver city and they have one in, um, El Segundo. And I found out the one in Culver city. I used to live there.
It was down the road from me. And I was like, oh, this place is actually, it literally used to be like the right next door to where I worked. And then they, I was like, this is actually good.
Uh, and then they put one in, in, uh, El Segundo, which is much closer. And that's great. All right.
So if someone was to ask me, is it worth it? Is going to Ginger's worth it? On one hand, I could be like, yeah. Right. And not because I love ice cream, but because Lex loves ice cream and Moose loves that drive.
Moose loves to go in the Jeep. And so if Lex is feeling ice cream, I'm like, let's go. I'll drive us.
I'll take, I go to the same thing anyway. It's fine either way. But Moose loves to go and she gets a pub cup.
And it's just like a fun thing. And I can be like, yeah, totally worth it. All right.
And because I value those things, but someone could ask, Hey, is it worth it? You know, and they're on a trip here from out of state and they don't have much time left. I'd be like, no, probably not. And actually that just happened with my sister, my sister, my brother and his girlfriend were here.
All right. So within that example, maybe it surprised you. Maybe you didn't, maybe you're like, what? You don't like ice cream.
No, I don't cupcakes. That's my thing. Um, but with that example, right.
Even within my own beliefs, it could be a yes or no situational. Right. So that brings me to the bulk of today's topic and what I got clarity on after seeing that Instagram story that I was like, ah, now I see why I hate it.
Similarly. And by similar, I mean exactly the same. Uh, I have the same beef with the phrase.
It depends. Right. Which is what actually, what actually matters and what the person is actually asking when they say, is it worth it? Is it, is whatever comes after that phrase, whatever comes after the phrase, it depends on what is it worth it based on what I, and I also realized that what annoys me about being asked, is it worth it? Is that oftentimes it feels like the person asking it, asking it hasn't taken the time to figure out what comes after that phrase and they're just looking for me or the person they're asking, just rattle off a whole bunch of shit until I say the right thing that they want to hear.
I'm like, this isn't, this isn't Reddit friend. I love Reddit. You know why? Because people just love to talk on there.
And so they'll just be like, right. A bunch of stuff. And then you can go through and look and be like, oh, okay, cool.
I see all these things that have been listed out and I've picked out the things that matter to me and this person agreed with it, disagreed with it, pointed it out, whatever. And now I can make a decision as to whether this thing I'm thinking about purchasing or whatever is quote unquote worth it to me, right? And I promise despite how it may sound in my voice right now, I'm not sure how my voice is coming off, but I'm like, I need to, I should put this in here. This has not recently happened to me.
I promise I have not recently been asked, is it worth it? Um, so if I promise if I sound salty, I'm not, um, and I'm not being like passive aggressive with this episode and being like, you know, secretly making it about somebody like, no, right. But let me take it back for one second, just to close that loop that I opened that maybe some of you were like, wait, what am I talking about with that? It depends. I always hated when on, when PT is on social media would be like, it depends.
And they would kind of use it as like a scapegoat, like a scapegoat sentence to basically justify the, you know, justify why they weren't good at marketing. And then I was like, you know, cause people like, they hate talking about pain or outcomes and like, well, it depends. Well, it depends.
Okay. On what? Let's tell me, let her just say that. Like, it depends on whether or not you do your exercises.
It depends on how good my assessment is. It depends on what the rest of your life looks like. They're all valid.
Just tell me what it depends on. Right. So when someone asks, is it worth it? They are leaving out in my opinion, two integral parts of that question of that entire, that entire sentence there.
The first part that goes before, is it worth it? And this is implied, but it's so important is if you were me, right. Which presupposes that you know them and that you are the same as them, which in my opinion, you're not off to a great start because you're probably talking to someone that you don't really know like that. Right.
If you were me, if you were exactly like me, okay. It's the first part of the sentence. Is it worth it? And then the second part that they're leaving out is what comes on the back end of that sentence, which would be something like, if you were me, is it worth it to do X if fill in the blank.
I'm nervous about money. I want to get the most out of this trip. I don't like driving.
I need full certainty that it will heal me and fix me. I will be angry if it doesn't work. I've tried a million other things before, and now I'm nervous.
What, what is that second part? Right. It could be anything. I have really skinny feet and shoes oftentimes don't fit.
Okay. That is more information then. Right.
And so the point I do, I have really skinny feet. That's why that came to me. But the point I'm trying to make here is that, I'm knocking stuff off the desk.
The point I make here is that the person that's asking this, in my opinion, they know what would make it worth it. And they know the specific thing that they are looking for certainty or reassurance around. Right.
You, dear listener, dear viewer, you know what would make it worth it. Right. And you know, the specific thing that you are looking for certainty and reassurance around.
You just need to sit for a moment and think about it. Yes. I know.
I've also also said that, you know, I really do believe that, uh, consumers, customers, they know what they want. They oftentimes don't know it until they see it, but people know what they want. This to me is a very similar situation, but you're going in and what I'm asking is like, take a moment to try and figure out what that thing is, because my guess is that you do know, and you have more context than that customer, because you're looking at the specific thing and you're like, is this thing worth it? Is this action worth it? Is this class worth it? Is buying this thing worth it? Is this trip worth it? You're looking at it and you're like, all right, worth it based on what? All right.
What's the second part of that sentence? The reverse question to ask yourself. And I think this is fun. Is something, uh, or excuse me, the reverse thing to ask yourself, or, uh, you can ask someone that's asking you that question is to fill in the blank.
It would be worth it if blank. What? Right. And to me, this is actually a really fun and great way to set some quote unquote, what I'll call life rules, uh, for yourself that can cut down on decision-making and perhaps cut down on regret.
And when I say regret, I largely mean regret that you didn't do something, not regret that you did something. An example of this for me that I adopted many years ago was surrounding continuing ed. And for me, it was, if I walk away having learned even one thing, then it was worth it.
Simple as that. Right. So then when deciding, you know, whether or not to go to a continuing ed, it was largely then, you know, just based on, did I have the funds to actually do it? Cause I had no fucking money.
Uh, did I, was I actually available at that time? And was it something that I was actually, you know, interested in? And that was it. Then there was another wondering like, okay, well now like, is it going to be worth it? If I leave, if I learn one fucking thing, it's worth it. I've already decided, but I'm going, right.
For me, even learning, I fucking hate this. Never want to do it again. Worth it.
I'm looking at you PRI, looking at you PRI, right? So I actually ask a version of this when I teach live and I open every presentation that I give by asking what would make our time together today a success. Notice I did replace success. You know, I did replace worth it with success just to give us some direction and some pointedness to get responses from people.
Right. But what is that part at the end? What is that part at the end? I give people the opportunity to say it. All right.
So wrapping up this very short episode, I'm hitting the mic, kind of get heat stroke in here. Wrapping up the, the, this very short, short episode one, I hate the question. Is it worth it? I hate it.
I hate it. Number two, if you feel compelled to ask it, just please think about what specific thing or things you would put at the end of that sentence. And then if you still must ask, ask with those specific additions.
Number three, if a prospective customer asks that question, is it worth it? Though they probably would not, that would be weird to ask the person, is it going to be worth it? But I think people ask some iteration of it and they're kind of asking around it. Something to ask them in response is what would make it worth it? Right. Which is also a great question to just ask yourself in general and create some, like I said earlier, quote unquote, life rules that can cut down on decision making and perhaps regret.
All right. It's summer. Keeping this short.
Like I said, I would go touch some grass, go get some sun on your face. And we'll catch you next week. As always, endlessly, endlessly, one more time, endlessly appreciative for every single one of you.
Until next time friends, Maestro out.
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