“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

The three “buckets” of contact data

October 8, 2025

The three “buckets” of contact data Broadly speaking, when collecting data on contacts (individuals or organizations), […]

Balancing what is possible with what is realistic

October 1, 2025

Balancing what is possible with what is realistic When I work with clients on technology […]

“Humans want to be surrounded by beauty.”

September 24, 2025

“Humans want to be surrounded by beauty.” “Humans want to be surrounded by beauty.” – […]

Data managers vs data consumers

September 17, 2025

Data managers vs data consumers When I work with clients on any data management project, […]

Another universal truth

September 10, 2025

Another universal truth There are many universal truths in data management. Some examples: You will […]

Don’t miss this year’s DAN Science Fair!

September 3, 2025

Don’t miss this year’s DAN Science Fair! I’m taking a break from my weekly tips […]

Just start. And it’s never done.

August 27, 2025

Just start. And it’s never done. Last week I had the opportunity to lead a […]

Don’t ask if you’re not going to answer!

August 20, 2025

Don’t ask if you’re not going to answer! In the past week, on three different […]

Seek forgiveness rather than permission

August 6, 2025

Seek forgiveness rather than permission “Seek forgiveness, not permission.” I can’t remember when I first […]

Is a 360 degree view necessary?

July 30, 2025

Is a 360 degree view necessary? “A 360 degree view of our members should NOT […]

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published.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

Scroll to Top