Bigger isn’t always better

There seems to be this fascination in America with the idea that bigger is better. It goes along with speed, strength, accumulation of wealth, and more. It’s also a focus on more. As if what is present isn’t good enough.

In the secular world, businesses are constantly looking for an increase in sales from the previous quarter or year. Some people tend to think that they are better on the road because they drive faster (I’ve got news for you — there’s always someone faster than you). We think we need to constantly be getting bigger, faster, stronger, and more.

Let me be clear — more has its upside. And growth can be a good thing. All of the things I listed have the potential to be good things. But not always. Especially if the need for more or better or faster becomes the driving force. What’s the purpose of more or better or faster or any of the other stuff? Is it just to have more for the sake of having more? That’s not a good reason. Often it means that one is never satisfied. And look I get the idea. Mediocrity is not great. And I’m not arguing for that either. I’m asking the question — why are you seeking more? To what purpose and what goal is more better? Because often we forget that more means more problems to go along with it. It means more resources to manage it. It means more regulations and institutional accouterments. It means more of other stuff that we didn’t think about initially when we said we wanted more.

Bigger is not always better and more is not always great.