We are living in crazy times and uncertain times.

I was reading recently about John D. Rockefeller in his early business days. The nation was deep in a recession, and yet he took advantage of openings he saw all around him. In fact, he said, “I always tried to turn every disaster into an opportunity.” In every adversity, there is often an equal or greater opportunity. What obstacles are you facing in your business today? Have you met with your team to brainstorm ways to overcome the obstacles?

All our decisions are based on assumptions and beliefs. Two business owners, facing similar obstacles, can make different decisions. Why? Because their beliefs and assumptions are different. When you are facing an obstacle, one of the smartest things you can do is challenge your assumptions. Take time to look at why you believe what you do about your employees, your opportunities, and your obstacles.

What is the cost of doing nothing?

In general, most business owners I’ve met aren’t good at calculating opportunity cost. Opportunity cost is involved in every decision we make — saying “yes” to one thing means saying “no” to something else. This is why you must have extreme clarity around your strategy, purpose, and core values. Once you have clarity around these issues, you can start to make better decisions.  

Sometimes, to gain clarity, it helps to get a different perspective. As soon as we ask questions of ourselves and of our team, our brains go to work to find an answer. I want to share with you today, one of the best ways to give yourself a fresh perspective.

Imagine that you’re someone else (a person whose decisions you respect), and then ask how you think that person would solve this problem. For example, if you were Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Thomas Edison, Elon Musk, Howard Schultz, or Sheryl Sandberg. It could be your 10th-grade biology teacher; just pick a person you believe to be wise. Now, ask yourself, “If ______ were in my shoes, how would he/she solve this problem or overcome this obstacle?” 

Listen to what comes to you. Maybe write it down. Sit with it and ruminate on it for a bit.

Are you hearing a new strategy emerge? Did you learn something new about the issue? About yourself? Hopefully, this exercise has given you new insight or possibly has confirmed what you knew already. Perhaps you use this activity together with your team. Imagine the wisdom and strategies that would come from that meeting.

Now, implement your new strategy!

Many strategies fail because of lack of execution, distraction by the tyranny of the urgent, or the inertia of daily operations. Don’t let that happen to you. As Meg Whitman famously said, “The price of inaction is far greater than the cost of a mistake.”

Learn more at Achievement Unlimited.