I kind of like the idea of a dog. Something to enthusiastically greet you at the end of the day, something that would temper my desire to work 15 hour days, something to drag me out for some exercise in the most lousy of weather. But I am sure, having been a dog owner before, that the reality would be very different from my rose coloured glasses perspective of dog ownership.
It’s the unforeseen consequences. Restriction on my time, the tie to a home with a garden, and the very unsavoury practice of having to pick up its poop. So when I REALLY think about it, it isn’t such a great idea after all. It’s just not worth the shit, to be frank.
In business and as entrepreneurs it’s our job to evaluate every decision or opportunity and the tips I am about to share are equally applicable to personal decisions as they are to business. So to increase the success ratio of your decisions and limit the ones you will live to regret all you have to do is think DOG. D- O – G.
Does it match with your DIRECTION? Is it part of the plan? So, for example, if I was offered an opportunity in a business that was producing, say, cupcakes – that would not be something that I would entertain because there is nothing about that business that enhances what I am doing. It would just be another D word – DISTRACTION.
The next word I think of is ONE. Focusing on ONE thing at a time. ONE plane at a time, ONE big business plan at a time.
Now I know plenty an exec CEO that gives a day a week an enterprise but I am talking about us entrepreneurs who inhabit the real world, of limited time and resources – so every project we do needs our 100% focus. Focus on that ONE goal – and in considering opportunities you have to ask whether it will work towards that ONE goal. Beware of the ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITIES – there are surprisingly few that won’t wait for a better time. This head space that many entrepreneurs WRONGLY exist in – you know it has to be NOW. I have got involved in event management, building companies, underwear manufacturing – all sorts of stuff – because I thought it was my ONE and only opportunity to do so. Probably not true and all it did was divide my attentions.
Finally beware of the influences that may be swaying your decision making process. Like GREED. My real life example – chasing any turnover rather than evaluating it properly. I can think of two instances of this happening work wise with me – I saw turnover and hungered after it greedily – and didn’t weigh up the consequences or the clients – and the shit storm that followed knocked me more off track than helped me towards my big GOALS. I was greedy – not sensible- and that greed stopped the evaluation process which would have allowed me to see that whilst short term it would boost turnover, long term we didn’t benefit as the cost of this turnover made it not worthwhile. So my GREEDY haste was very short sighted.
As entrepreneurs it’s important to seize the day, take advantage of opportunity but by using the DOG principle – looking at DECISIONS – your ONE goals and whether GREED is influencing your decision making process may well help you evaluate better and make your decision even sounder than before.
So that’s remember your direction – does this opportunity fit in with your ONE focus and are you going for it out of GREED rather than the opportunity, does it genuinely fit in with your business aspirations.
Finally are there any unforeseen consequences – i.e. is there going to be more poop than that the opportunity is worth? Because whilst something might look like a great idea you don’t want to be left with a poop scoop in your hand as a result of your decision now do you!
Trust that helps – have a great week.