Stop Waiting

Stop Waiting

Don’t wait.

Sometimes our biggest roadblock is ourselves. We wait until we feel as though we are “all the way ready” before taking action. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.

Often the best thing to do is to just take the next small step.

This is not the same as making a big leap without thinking it through. But it is frequently impossible in life to know the exact right step, whether it is in investing, a business decision, or a relational step.

In the military there is an emphasis on precision and excellence. This is important and appropriate to the setting because even seemingly little actions can be the difference between someone’s life and death. Precision and excellence are still valuable in the civilian sector but it is key to adjust the extent to which you focus on them.

Best you can

Make the most of what is in front of you. All you can do is make the best decision you can with the information that is available to you right now. Consider your options and what you know and take a step.

Many people get so caught up in trying to take the right step that they end up paralyzed. They wait and wait for some new information that will illuminate the perfect way ahead. The problem is that there is no information that can do that. Usually when you’re in this mindset the more and more information you gather, the more and more you feel like you need. “If I just knew ____” doesn’t tend to satisfy.

Instead of acting on perfect decisions, people tend to wait and never act on any decisions at all. It is far better to take a great or even good step than to wait forever for the perfect step.

You’ll miss 100% of the shots you never take.

Looking back

One thing that can contribute to our instinct to wait for perfect decisions is being hard on ourselves for our past choices. This creates pressure as we try to avoid future regrets. The view is always clearer in hindsight because you’ve encountered new information.

It can be hard but we need to have grace on our past selves. Sometimes a bad decision really is a bad decision – that’s okay, it may sound cheesy but nobody’s perfect.

Other times, however, what looks like a bad decision now was actually a good decision when we made it. When you reflect on your past choices, try to remember what factors you did and did not know about at the time. Chances are your step was a reasonable one with no way to see what you know now.

Don’t be so hard on yourself that you freeze and have difficulty making future decisions.

Learn from those ahead of you

If you’re struggling to take the next step in your journey, consider talking to a veteran who is a few steps ahead of you. Someone who shares your background will have the right perspective to help you make wise decisions. Bouncing ideas off of others and listening to their input is not a sign of weakness but of strength.

What next step do you need to take today? Who can you talk to for support on your way?

If you’re looking for mentorship and connection, check out our monthly 21-day Sprint Course or our self-paced Mission: Next resources to get plugged into a military community in the civilian world.

Donald Pearson,CFP?,ChFC?,RICP?,WMCP?

Planning for Business Owners, Physicians, and Service Academy Graduates

4 年

Phil, I absolutely love this. “There are 80,000 paths to enlightenment... pick one”

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David Grun

Sales Director @ Rocket Software | Enterprise Sales

4 年

Love the article Phil! I always say you can do your best to prepare but you can never be 100% ready for any new opportunity that comes your way. You got to just take the first step in the right direction and do your best. As David J. Schwartz says in The Magic of Thinking Big “Action cures fear. Indecision, postponement, on the other hand, fertilize fear.”

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