In business everything appears to move at a thousand miles an hour whether you like it or not. First, that’s a great recipe for burning out quickly, and second, if you’re not careful, you’ll get caught up thinking moving fast is necessary for success.
I’ll let you in on a not-so-big-secret: when a project or product isn’t as successful as you think it should be, stop and take a breath. Because the value of pausing is underrated—even in a world where fortunes can be made or broken in a moment!
Observe Before Taking Action
The truth is that most people don’t properly assess a situation before making a decision. They jump in without all the information and then wonder why their product isn’t successful. Or their product isn’t selling, they can’t figure out the problem immediately, and they move on.
Don’t be most people! Observe before taking action. Make sure you have all the information and have considered possible outcomes. Whether that means pretending to be a customer in your own company (Undercover Boss works for a reason!), conducting a marketing survey with a different methodology or even by bringing in an outside perspective to shake up the project, the information you gather may inspire an entirely new—and more successful—approach.
Stop and Think
How does a grandmaster in chess escape, and ultimately win, even when they’re in a tough spot? By stopping, observing, analyzing, and making a plan. Grandmasters are grand because they’re excellent strategists.
When it comes to your business affairs, you can apply the same approach. Because if you don’t stop and consider your options, you’ll make ill-informed decisions. And bad decisions make for bad business strategies.
Push Through the Roadblock
Every time you find yourself facing a roadblock, sit back and take a moment to consider your options. Evaluate the predicament you’re in, what goals you had for the situation, what has changed and where you can go from here.
When you pause, you’ll see how you can push through the roadblock and, more than likely, come out the other side with an even better product. Don’t gamble your dreams away by making decisions without having all the information.
Business is about competition, and competition is about gaining advantages. Rather than moving so quickly you can’t see what you’re doing, best your competition by harnessing the value of pausing.
If you’d like to learn more about how I can help your business succeed, get in touch with me here or through LinkedIn.