Building the Bike while Riding it
While in a meeting with one of my favorite clients working on several big projects – all of which have multiple moving parts – my client exclaimed “I feel like I’m building the bike and riding it at the same time!”.
Translation: He felt as if he was figuring out the project while actually doing the project. He was a tad overwhelmed but had a sense of calm that he was made the right decision.
Life isn’t always perfect. We don’t always have the time to plot and plan every detail before we start a business, take on a new client or begin a project. Sometimes life hands you an amazing opportunity and you just have to say, “I’m in – and I’ll figure it out as I go along”.
So how do you know when to risk it and when to back away? Well, there isn’t an easy answer and I am the queen of the risk takers – but here is how I do it:
1. Do I actually have the skill set to do this job/project/business and can it be successful?
2. Do I have the time? What are my personal resources that I can commit?
3. Do I have good resources? Who can help me – where can I pull in the troops?
4. Can I make money?
5. Have I done ENOUGH due diligence and market research that tells me this could work if the stars align?
6. Am I emotionally ready for the challenge of the unknown? This kind of goes back to #2
In the end – it really comes down to you and what you are willing to commit and what are you willing to outsource. You know the saying “You will miss 100% of the shots you do not take” – so sometimes you do need to build the bike while riding it.
What’s the worst thing that could happen if you say “Yes”. If the answer to that is within your comfort zone and the answers to the 6 questions above are “Yes” – build and ride. If not – take a pass, you won’t enjoy the process and in the end the money won’t be worth it. You won’t have the emotional fortitude to survive the ups and downs.
The next time your organizational OCD kicks in and you have the urge to say not in my lifetime to an opportunity – step back for a second. You wouldn’t want to pass up the gig of a lifetime!
Do you have a great bicycle story? We would love to hear it!