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It’s 10 o’clock on a rainy Monday morning and you’re sitting at your desk nursing a lukewarm cup of coffee whilst surveying your to-do list with a growing sense of dread.
Deep inside, an encouraging voice whispers “Is this all their is to life? You could be somewhere else. You could be turning your innovative idea, unique talent or lifelong dream into reality...”
A louder, more demanding voice replies “Don’t be stupid. Why would you jeopardise your career and lifestyle for that? It won’t work anyway, just forget about it and get back to your emails.”
However, the Richard Bransons, Martha Lane-Foxes and James Caans of the world are those that turn down the volume on the noisy voice of fear and instead leap into their new venture with full conviction.
They aren’t fortune-tellers, they don’t know any more about the future than you or I, but they do have the crucial ingredient for success: belief. In both themselves and their product or service.
As a strategist, I often ask hesitant clients, “What is the worst that could happen?”. After the initial nervous laughter, the answer usually surprises them. Yes, you could end up a little red-faced and back in a 9 til 5 job with a bank loan to repay, but equally you could help thousands of people, become a household brand or have your local swimming pool named after you (just ask Rebecca Adlington!)
Don’t get me wrong. It’s still a wise idea to research the viability of your idea (outside of your friends and family, who tend to be biased), investigate production and marketing costs or consider potential financing methods, but don’t fall into the trap of paralysis by analysis.
As I do with my clients, set specific targets, pre-empt and minimise obstacles where you can, and create bite-sized strategies for achieving these goals. Then, and this is key, put a timeframe on the steps, and take them!
You learn the most by actually doing, not just thinking about doing. For each action you take, evaluate what worked and what didn’t, and if necessary, adjust your next step accordingly.
For example, create a prototype of your new home exercise weights and ask 10 of the local Weight Watchers group to trial them for a week. Use their feedback constructively to finesse the design, as inspiration for an advertising campaign, or as an end to this particular idea and motivation for another.
Rest assured that when you’re 95 years old, you’ll regret not even trying rather than making an informed choice not to pursue an idea.
Ask most successful entrepreneurs and they’ll tell you profits came from Version 164 of their original idea. It’s that essential component – belief – that keeps them going.
So, next time your boss asks you to work late on a Friday evening, the Circle line is closed for engineering, or your pay rise is half what you anticipated, ask yourself what step you can take - right now – towards your dream, and make the leap.
Rachel Willis
strat•e•gist
Listen, communicate, evaluate, create strategies, achieve success.
✆ 07515 388 688
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