Want to be more productive? Want to have more success in your business… and in your life? Then learn the principle of “Ready, Fire, Aim, Fire, Aim….”
I know. Most of us have learned, “ready… aim… aim… aim… double-check readiness, aim… aim… aw, doggone, it moved behind that tree. Stand down and figure out what the next target should be.”
Whether the target is a new business opportunity, trying to get a date with that girl or guy, trying to get an appointment with that business prospect, asking for a raise, or just about any other thing requiring a decision and action, we prefer to hesitate. Just to make sure we get it right.
For some of us, life has trained us to hesitate, to hold back. Maybe it was the result of parents, teachers, or peers, who always derided our decisions. Maybe it was the consequences of rash and foolish decisions. Or maybe it is just the way our brains are wired.
Whatever the cause, it became a survival skill. And now, when we are trying to get ahead, it holds us back. It is no longer as useful.
Now, I’m not saying that, even today, there aren’t times when it continues to be useful. I am saying that most of the situations we encounter are not life-threatening… and therefore, don’t warrant the hesitation we bring to the process.
A better strategy for us… in most situations… is to make a quick decision based on the information we currently have then take action based on that decision. Next, quickly evaluate the feedback (the results of the action), make adjustments accordingly, take action again, evaluate… adjust… act.
This is “ready, fire, aim, fire, aim, fire.”
Does the idea of this frighten you? Perhaps ideas leapt to your mind about why that is crazy. And dangerous. The idea is threatening.
If this describes you, don’t worry. You are normal. Normal, but not terribly successful.
Now, if you would like to become more successful, acknowledge the fear, but do it, anyway. Start training yourself to make quick decisions, followed by acting on them.
Start with small decisions — ones where the consequences of a mis-step are low. For instance, does it warrant spending 5 minutes deciding between a chocolate, a vanilla, or a strawberry ice cream cone? The consequences of a less-than-perfect decision is pretty easy to live through. And if it isn’t the most satisfactory choice when you look back on it, you have easily and cheaply increased your education. (Congratulations, feedback works!)
As you get used to making decisions with incomplete information (and remember… you never really have complete information… even when you think you do), you start expanding the impact of the ones you make.
Note: decisions that carry life or death implications (or similar serious consequences) should be done with appropriate deliberation. Even so, as you get better at quicker decisions and then taking action you will find that you make better decisions at all levels.
Tags: better decisions, opportunity, success
Leave a reply