I heard something in passing on the radio this morning, while enjoying a pretty darn good breakfast buffet at Seattle's Inn at Harbor Steps. The radio announcer said something like: "It's best to try lots of things, make lots of mistakes, recognize those mistakes, and move on."
I like that. And the key is to recognize mistakes quickly. Or to recognize those efforts that aren't going to yield desired results (so, not really mistakes, but, rather, things that won't work). Choose the winners and invest in those.
This is so much easier than it sounds. I know that employers do this. That's why they try to have a short 30-90 day) introductory period for new employees, during which time either side can say, "Sorry, this isn't working" without significant consequence.
My personal problem is that I work in the wine business, in which adding a new wine takes a lot longer than adding a new employee. Instead of 90 days, it might be 900. Which gives us plenty of time to get attached to that wine, whether it proves to be a winner or not.
But it's so important to recognize the non-winners early, before investing too much in them. And it's so hard to maintain the passion and enthusiasm that success usually depends upon, while at the same time being ever-vigilant and prepared to cut your losses.
Still, it's essential to making your own good luck that you identify those "mistakes" early ... those things that aren't going to get you where you need to go. Watch for them, and be prepared to act. Invest in your winners, not the things you simply wish were winners. Your luck will be better.
DAH is David Anthony Hance at DAHplaytime.com
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