A long time ago, I had a boss who wanted everything yesterday. He wanted things when he wanted them – no exceptions. I can’t tell you how many times I heard him say, “Joe or Mary are exactly the kind of people I want on my team. They are always quick to take action.” Most of the time, they were successful. They didn’t hesitate, and it appeared to everyone they possessed the courage, instinct and emotional intelligence to get things done.
We all want to take action quickly, but sometimes we wait for the perfect data. We wait… wait some more… and the perfection never arrives. To help yourself move forward, ask these questions:
1. What do I want? – Visualize the outcome you want. Look at it in terms of the best outcome you can imagine.
2. What might happen? – Yes, what might happen if you did move forward and you were successful? What are the positive outcomes?
3. What if it doesn’t work? – This allows you to understand all potential outcomes. You will see that there will be something positive no matter the choice you make.
4. If my life depended on taking action, what would I do? – I know this one is a bit extreme, but there are times when people need to realize that it’s time to move forward. Don’t be stuck forever.
5. What is the little voice telling me not to do? - In coaching, we call this voice the gremlin. He is the negative voice in your head that causes self-doubt. If permitted, the gremlin can paralyze you. The best thing to do is acknowledge him, know he will be there, and then tuck him away.