I’ve been on a streak, watching Full Metal Alchemist, and some of the core principles have got me thinking.

The show — more specifically the first law of alchemy proposes that you cannot simply create something out of nothing; in order to create, something of equal value must be exchanged.

This forms the basis of many events throughout the show like Ed losing his arm and leg to bind his brother’s soul to a piece of armour.

The equivalence of exchange is interesting because as I progress in my career, I often ask myself:

“Do I have time for this?”

And if so:

“Is it worth it?”

In general, we are largely exchanging our time for something we deem valuable, be it monetary reward, satisfaction, or recognition.

If that be the case…

Who then determines value?

Value is inherently personal

While this isn’t the whole truth, I like to think that some people would pay what you’d consider an outrageous amount for something because it doesn’t hold as much value to them as it does to the other person.

In career progression, I’ve often pursued opportunities that are more valuable to my skill set.

While this might not always be the case( I still need to make a living), I often come out of those experiences more competent than I previously was.

Does this mean all exchanges are equal? Probably not.

But in the words of Hiromu Arakawa:

You can’t gain something without giving something in return.