Everything is a trade-off

Everything is a trade. You are always spending something for something else, whether you notice the bill or not.

The clearest place I ever saw it was in villains. A villain is the hero of his own story—he just decided he was willing to trade at other people's expense. Thanos thought he was saving the world. The heroes thought they were saving it too. You can build an argument for almost anything, depending on what you are willing to give up.

So the hard skill isn't picking a side. It's holding two ideas in your head at the same time and letting both be true. Most people can't sit in that. Learn to, and you'll see the trade behind every choice—which means you get to choose it on purpose.