All these quotes on twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram. Man, you’d think we’d be the most motivated wise and loving people on earth. As I scrolled down the feed the other day, I saw two quotes in tension of each other. Both are right in the right circumstance, and yet, they are opposite. They mix sports analogies but you’re going to be OK with that. I trust you.
You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.
That’s right. If you don’t make that phone call, start that new division, hire your replacement, buy that building, get out of the office, then you make any of those shots or win any of those games. This quote is a great motivator.
What shots do you need to take right now?
Now, The other side of the coin.
You can’t strike out on pitches you don’t swing at.
What Warren Buffet pointed out about investing translates to your business. You are playing a no-called-strike game.
There are times in business when patience is key. You can’t strike out on starting that new division, hiring the next top exec. You won’t win those games, but you can’t lose them either. The challenge is that in your head your shiny object self is yelling, “swing you bum!”
Solomon, one of the wisest wealthiest guys in the world back in the day, said there was time for everything.
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
(no, the above is not the lyrics from that Turtles song)
Crap. What gives? Should I or should I not? Swing or patience?
Both sentiments are right, when it is right.
Take the shot. Don’t swing.
There are times when you need to build and tear down, go to war and make peace, search or give up. How do you know when to do which thing?
Here are links to some past blogs which help give you some answers based upon your current situation.
Need to take a big swing? Read THIS.
Need to evaluate shiny objects? Read THIS
Not sure how to say NO? Read THIS.
Need a council of others Owners and CEOs to help you discern, decide, get confident in, and build a peninsula to your ownership island? Read THIS and reply to this email to start a conversation.