“Her eyes were bigger than her stomach.”

"Her eyes were bigger than her stomach."

When I was a child, my siblings used to joke about how one of our sisters, on the rare occasion when we ate at a restaurant (like McDonald's!), was well known for ordering way more food than she could eat. Later in life I heard the phrase "Her eyes are bigger than her stomach," which was a perfect way to describe it. She bought more than she could possibly consume because it all looked so good (yes, even at McDonald's).

I've seen a similar thing happen to associations when it comes to purchasing technology (e.g., new AMS, new CMS, etc.). The new technology promises so many great things that the organization winds up buying everything! After all, having everything is better than not having enough, right?

But very often, even if we buy all the things, we may not be able to implement them all right away. And in most cases, you'll have the option to buy less now, knowing you can add more later (e.g., licenses, modules, services).

So just like when we eat at McDonald's, we should pace ourselves, buying only what we need at that moment, knowing that we can always go back for more, if we need it. Don't let the allure of great technology make your eyes bigger than your stomach!

Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives

Don’t forget Parkinson’s Law

November 10, 2021

Don’t forget Parkinson’s Law “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its […]

Just Respond

November 3, 2021

Just Respond Growing up my father used to tell my many siblings and me that […]

People fear uncertainty, not change

October 27, 2021

People fear uncertainty, not change If you’ve ever worked on any big project that was […]

“Working with you is like going to therapy.”

October 20, 2021

“Working with you is like going to therapy.” I was working with a client last […]

The best ideas are stolen

October 13, 2021

The best ideas are stolen I don’t remember where I first heard it, but someone said […]

It’s all about expectations

October 7, 2021

It’s all about expectations One of the most critical contributors to the success of a […]

Either you test, or your members will

September 29, 2021

Either you test, or your members will If I was forced to choose the single […]

But are you really willing to change?

September 22, 2021

But are you really willing to change? When any organization is making a change in data management […]

Two tips for data conversion

September 15, 2021

Two Tips for Data Conversion I’ve written a lot about data conversion over the years […]

Who should “own” the database?

September 8, 2021

Who should “own” the database? One of the most common questions I get from my […]

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top