08 Dec To Take A Gig (or Not) – One Clarifying Question To Help You Figure It Out

An area of my life in which I’ve found a mixed level of satisfaction is my ability to determine whether or not I should take a gig. 

It’s always a delight when I take a gig and feel great about the whole situation at the end of it. However, if you do (or have done) gigs of any sort, you’ve probably experienced those gigs that you wish you had never taken. In those situations, I often find myself frustrated with myself. I always feel like I should have known better. I say to myself, “I’ll never do this again”, only to find myself in similar gigs from time to time. 

So I sit down to write this blog post as a means of reflection and an attempt to begin a conversation. As I zoom out to reflect on all of the gigs I’ve done, good and bad, I see some patterns that may shed some light on helpful ideas to consider before accepting any gig. 

Because the subject of this writing is a decision making scenario, I think it wise to consider good decision making principles in a broader sense. 

From all of this consideration, I’ve distilled a single idea that centers around a decision making paradigm that I’ve found helpful in other spheres of life. 

I learned this central decision making principle from a distant mentor of mine, Andy Stanley (for more on this principle, check out his series of talks entitled “Ask It”). I call him a distant mentor because I’ve never actually met him but his content has been integral to my formation as a human. 

This decision making principle comes in the form of a question. But before I can even ask myself this central question, there is a sort of preface question…

By when do I need to make a decision on this opportunity?

This question is important for me because I tend to feel as though I have to make a decision on the spot. As I observe people who make good decisions in life, one common trait I notice is composure. They don’t rush into things. They don’t feel the need to desperately oblige to a request for their services. 

This mentality requires a shift for me, mainly because I grew up in an environment where a scarcity mindset was the norm. When you’re under the assumption that there is never enough, you see it reasonable to figure out how to take any gig that becomes available. This mindset tends to yield a desperate energy, a trait that is antithetical to the composure I speak of in my favorite decision makers. Bringing this desperation mindset into any decision making process is a recipe for disappointment. 

I’ve considered the extreme approach of defaulting to turning down any gig that requires an immediate response. However, I think an approach that better interfaces with the reality of these scenarios is that if a decision is needed in a more immediate sense, there needs to be enough time to consider a broader context. This is more of a mental shift to realize that if someone asks me to do something, I can permit myself time to do a proper inventory of the request and check it against my central, clarifying question.

The question I learned from Andy over 10 years ago is…

“In light of my past experience, current circumstances, and future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing to do?”

This question is so simple, yet so clarifying for me. If I had stopped to take the time to ask myself this question and answer it honestly, I would have avoided at least the majority of my regrettable gigs. Who knows… I may have also taken some of the gigs that I turned down. 

Because this question is so simple it can be easy to overlook its specificity. It’s not just asking if the gig is wise to take, but considering three things along with that question.

1. My past experience…

In the gig context, I look at this question as an opportunity to assess what the gig will require from me. Have I taken a gig like this before? If so, what did it require from me as far as preparation goes? How stressful was it? Did I have fun? How long did it take to get paid? If it is a client I worked with in the past, I can consider what it was like to work with that person.

What if I haven’t done a gig like this before? It’s a good chance to use the past experience of the people in my life that have. It is also a good basis from which to ask questions to the person requesting my services. 

This inventory sets me up for the second consideration in the question…

2. My current circumstances.

I’m convicted about this one! This part of the question challenges me to examine the resources I have right now. It’s a budgeting of sorts. Another way to think of this is to say, “Given my current resources of time and energy, would it be wise for me to take this gig?” 

Examining this question forces you to think about time management, another constant battle for me. I see this as a noble struggle in which to strive for proficiency. After all, most of the disappointment surrounding taking gigs that I wish I didn’t comes with the knowing that I could have been using my time and energy in a better place. Why not then ask this question on the front end?

3. My future hopes and dreams.

I love this part of the question the best because it forces me to zoom out and consider how this gig relates to the bigger picture. 

Within this consideration falls the following questions: 

“Does taking this gig make sense in relation to my values and priorities?”

“Does this gig support my vision for my brand?”

“Given what I’ve already considered about my past experience and present resources, does the compensation rate of this gig fairly support my future goals?”

As I write this post, I’m anticipating my next gig opportunity. I’m realizing that it doesn’t necessarily require a long time to answer this central question honestly. What it will require from me is intentionality. If I can first slow down enough to realize I have time to consider the broader question, I think I’ll end up more satisfied with my gig choices.

How do you decide whether or not to take an opportunity? Do you have any principles for making decisions in general? I’d love to hear about them. Let’s have a conversation! Feel free to reach out to me via DM, email, social media comments, etc… and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to my blog for more content like this.