The Best Tool for the Job

Let me tell you about an old friend. This friend has seen me through hot and cold times, through the wet and the pooring, the muggy and the windy. This friend has been on adventure after adventure with me.

And today, I am officially saying goodbye to that friend, forever.

At this point you’re thinking, “Enough with the intro! What are you talking about? Who is your friend already?!”

Okay, fine — I’m referring to my first pair of motorcycle gloves.

These gloves have been a symbol of a decision made using poor priorities. Recently, they have been reminding me how unintentional of a purchase they were right from the start. They were definitely not the best tool for the job.

When I first started riding motorcycles years ago, Wife and I were fairly money-centered. We made decisions based on what was cheapest or “the best deal.” (There is a time and a place for that mindset, but purchasing motorcycle gear is not it!)

Thus, I found the cheapest motorcycle gloves possible.

The gloves were very cheap on clearance online. They were too big. They were average quality. They were uncomfortable in spots, and not very protective in others. They were a result of prioritizing price above purpose, features, safety, and quality.

But now, I’ve worn them out. It’s time to move on, and abandon this constant reminder of the need to be more intentional with my purchases.

The best tool for the job is hardly ever the cheapest! When you prioritize money, you minimize more important criteria such as time, hassle, reliability, or [fill in the blank].

When looking for replacement gloves, I took some time to analyze their intended purpose. I was determined to get the best tool for the job!

I thought through what my needs and wants: meant for hot weather, usable everyday, excellent quality, great protection, technical features, touchscreen compatible fingertips, a simple wrist strap, very comfortable, good airflow, and sensitive feel of the motorcycle controls.

Did you notice that a low price isn’t anywhere in my requirements?

In this particular case, it has no place there. These gloves are fairly priced, and prioritizing money would only compromise or dilute the other requirements.

After picking out, ordering, and trying on ten pairs, I finally found the right gloves — and they weren’t on clearance this time! Now when I put on my gloves, I will remember how important it is to get the best tool for the job.

And how good it feels not to be money-centered anymore.


What do you tend to center your decisions around — money, time, quality, the experience, your emotions at the time, or something else?