Sometimes You’ve Just Got to Get Mucky

I took this photo because my boots were absolutely filthy.

I could have avoided the mud. I could have walked around it, found another way or decided it wasn't worth it.

But sometimes you've just got to get mucky.

And business can be a bit like that.

You can spend a ridiculous amount of time trying to make the perfect decision before you actually do anything.

Will this work?

Is this the right time?

Should I spend the money?

What if I choose the wrong option?

What if nobody buys it?

What if I look ridiculous?

Eventually, you have to stop thinking about doing it and actually do something.

Some things won't work

That's just reality.

I've run businesses for years and I've had plenty of ideas that sounded fantastic in my head and weren't nearly as fantastic once I tried them.

I've spent money on things I probably wouldn't spend money on again.

I've changed systems.

Changed suppliers.

Changed marketing.

Started things.

Stopped things.

Gone back and done things differently.

That's business.

You don't get a special prize for getting every decision right the first time.

The important part is noticing when something isn't working and doing something about it.

You learn a lot more once you're actually doing it

Planning has its place. I love a list and I'm certainly not suggesting we all throw our plans out the window.

But there comes a point when another spreadsheet, another list or another week thinking about it isn't going to tell you anything new.

You need some actual information.

Put the product out there.

Run the advert.

Make the phone call.

Ask the question.

Try the idea.

Then look at what happened.

Did it work?

Great. Do more of it.

Didn't work?

Why?

Change something and try again.

That's often far more useful than spending another month trying to predict what might happen.

Changing direction is allowed

This one is important.

Just because you started down one path doesn't mean you're required to keep going.

Sometimes you get new information and realise there is a better option.

Change it.

I think we sometimes make changing our minds into a much bigger deal than it needs to be.

"But I said I was going to..."

So what?

You know something now that you didn't know then.

Use it.

There is a big difference between constantly jumping from one thing to another and making a sensible change because the evidence is telling you to.

And yes, sometimes money and time really are the problem

I don't buy the idea that every obstacle is simply a "mindset problem".

Sometimes you genuinely don't have the money.

Sometimes you don't have the time.

Sometimes family, work or life means something has to wait.

Those things are real.

But I do think it's worth asking yourself one more question:

Is that actually what's stopping me — or is it the reason I've become comfortable giving myself?

Because occasionally the thing stopping us isn't money, time or circumstances.

It's that starting feels uncomfortable.

And we don't know exactly how it's going to turn out.

Get in there and work it out

You don't have to leap blindly into everything.

Do your homework.

Ask questions.

Know what you can afford.

Understand the risks.

Make a plan.

But once you've done that, there comes a point when you've got to stop standing there looking at the mud.

Get in there.

Try it.

See what happens.

Change what needs changing.

Work the rest out as you go.

And clean your boots later.