Opportunity: A set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something favorable.
Obligation: An act by which a person is bound or obliged to do something out of a sense of duty.
An obligation is not always a terrible thing. We are obliged to obey the laws of the land or justice might come knocking. We are obliged to pay for the services we wish to receive. We are obliged to care about our families despite the frustrations they can often cause. We may be obliged to get to work at a certain time because it’s part of the job.
No one is denying that there are obligations we are bound to uphold. But how many obligations do we force upon ourselves unwittingly?
How many people do you know who have gotten an offer for a job that pays slightly more, but is a significantly farther away than their current job? They typically take the job, hate the additional commute within a few days, and many times find that the extra money wasn’t worth the time lost with loved ones or hobbies. The “opportunity” to make more money clouded their judgment on the “obligation” to lose additional time.
Obligations are often housed in an opportunistic shroud.
Opportunities can often be less than obvious to spot!
If you have been honing your judgement and skill set constantly, you likely have the brain strength to process the difference between opportunities and obligations. The key is doing so before it is too late.
An excerpt from my book (Sizzle, Not Fizzle; 2015)
Invicta Consulting 