You gotta love California Chrome–on his way to being a Triple Crown winner. In case you missed it, California Chrome is owned by DAP—Dumb Ass Partners, two unknown working stiffs called this when they invested their last dollars into a colt they “knew” was going to be something special. That hunch earned them over a million dollars even before it won the derby! DAP no more!
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had some hunches like that over the years. Some I acted on and some I didn’t. Some were winners, some were so-so and with some I missed the boat. So what differentiated them? How do you know when it’s something to move forward with or something to let go.
Here’s some ideas to help you make the right decision.
- Slow it down. Take time to decide. Even if it’s something you think you have to act quickly on, there’s always time to put down the phone, stop the email and think it through. Any time to breathe will stop you from making an impulsive decision.
- Get the facts. If you have some niggling questions get them answered now. You don’t want to end up saying “if only I’d known” or “I had a feeling that might be an issue”. Now is the time to pay attention to your intuition and get all your questions answered.
- Find someone to talk it over with. Two heads are always better than one. Find someone who will listen to your thinking. You don’t need their answers or opinions, you just need someone who’ll ask you some leading questions and give you time and space to process your own thoughts.
- Ask yourself why, really why. Get to the reason underneath the reason. Not “because it’s a good deal” but “because I’m desperately in need of money” or maybe “my family will be impressed”. Make sure there’s good economic and non-economic reasons behind the impulse to act.
- Don’t second guess yourself. Once you’ve made your decision, move forward and don’t look back. The biggest factor in any success is the passion and effort we put into it coupled with the belief that we can do it. Remember, “in order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” Bill Cosby.
Some quick and easy advice to help put you into the winner’s circle.
