I had an epiphany a few years ago. When I sat down to make some decisions about the future of my business, I discovered something that I am going to share with you today. What if your offensive strategy is always primarily defensive? That probably doesn’t make much sense right now. So stick with me and I’ll show you how a simple shift in thinking can help you beat that roadblock to revenue.
In 2021, planning and decision-making felt like a step ahead and one hundred steps back. How can anyone plan for the future when it is continuously changing, as it is with the pandemic. Instead, to create successful future plans, they are not planning for the future. ‘What the hell are you talking about, Dean?’ I know you’re thinking right now as you read this. What I am talking about is that to combat the fear these changes have caused, they are not thinking about what they can do better next year. They’re considering what they can do to ensure that they don’t lose what they have.
Defaulting to Defence
I’m not a huge sports fan, but we’ve all heard that the best defence is a strong offence. Consider that for a moment. You’re the coach of a team that just lost a crucial game, and the odds are stacked against you. These underdogs are well aware that the other squad is formidable, so their only alternative is to play smart but cautiously. They may unwittingly implement a defence strategy that results in a draw as the best possible outcome. Sure, it appears safe and may help them avoid the disappointment of a loss, but it will never get them closer to a victory.
So, you have gotten to this point. You’ve managed to stay in the game, and now it’s time to celebrate your great triumph. Is anyone else getting a sense of déjà vu? You’ve visited this location before. The strategy you originally put in place has been watered down and cheated you out of your victory. Even if you thought you started with an attacking strategy, you chose to play it safe every time you were presented with a risk. This is sometimes required, but before you know it, that has become the way you always play the game.
Over the last ten years, I’ve devised a number of methods and plans to help me expand and try to overcome the roadblock to revenue. However, when it came down to it, I avoided risk by implementing parts of my strategy safely. I’m not ashamed; I was terrified of the financial loss that taking that risk would entail. Like many other business owners, I convinced myself that pursuing the safe route would ultimately result in something good. Despite the fact that my strategy was attacking, my mindset was defensive. By making judgments I didn’t believe in, I was working against myself. This is the kind of thinking that results in losses or ties rather than victories.
Aligning The Strategy
Here is where I had my epiphany: I needed to connect my approach with my values… or adjust my beliefs so they wouldn’t jeopardise my plan. This is usually the type of stuff people say, and everyone dismisses it as nonsense. But, if you’ve made it this far, pay close attention. If you don’t believe it will pay off, no plan or strategy will ever work. If your strategy and your beliefs aren’t in sync, you’ll undermine it or scale it back during implementation. Every time you pause to wonder if you’re making the right decision, you’re practically robbing yourself out of a victory.
Playing defence got you this far, but it’s not likely to get you very far. It’s possible that your business’s ceiling isn’t money or planning; it’s you.
You can blame your roadblock to revenue on Covid or any other issue, but you’re the boss, and you have to find a way to succeed despite market pressures. The sooner you realise this, the faster the points on the scoreboard will start to rise.
