An architect friend recently posted this philosophical question: "What matters more to you, process or outcome?" I wanted to shout, "Both! Neither!" Then I realized that it comes down to whether or not you are an opportunist.
I define opportunism most simply as the ends justifying the means. However, this doen't make either the ends (outcome) or the means (process) more important. It just means that you are willing to take advantage of what situations present themselves and do whatever it takes to get what you want.
Opportunists take risks, opportunists leverage situations, opportunists are schemers and plotters. They get what they want- at least in the short term. I think that the pitfall of being an opportunist is that our world is so focussed on the immediacy of success. Opportunists accept this premise defacto and can easily become addicted to orchestrating a short term success. Being an opportunist is makes you seem powerful, but you might just be building a house of cards if you forget to factor in that old economic principle of opportunity cost...Do you buy into that?
