Different people have different approaches to situations. Much depends, of course, on the specific situation. But the approach that people take can influence their actions and sometimes also their achievements.
Some people go for it because they believe there may be everything to gain.
Some people believe there may be things to gain but some things may also be at risk.
Some people believe there may mainly be things to lose.
The following section focuses on people who take the first approach. Let’s explore how they may translate this into action.
Going For It Because There
Is Everything To Gain
Great champions in sport sometimes follow this approach. They have a positive attitude when looking forward to an event. They see it as an opportunity:
To flow rather than freeze … To do the basics and then add the brilliance … To follow their principles and do their personal best.
Many athletes take this approach when preparing for events. They follow elements of the philosophy described by Bill Walsh, who led the San Francisco 49ers to winning three Super Bowls.
Bill’s teams prepared properly by following the desired strategy and practicing routine perfection. He then encouraged his players to perform superbly on the day rather than worry about the score. He said that:
Providing you deliver the desired standards of performance, the score takes care of itself.
One strategic advisor I know followed their own version of going for it because there is everything to gain. Much of the professional work came via people they had helped over the previous twenty years.
There were occasions, however, when they were invited to pitch of business. The strategic advisor then adopted an approach that seemed counter-intuitive but seemed to work. They described this in the following way.
“I see the pitch as an opportunity to pass on knowledge that will help the potential customer to succeed. I take this approach rather than trying to sell.
“The pitching session is a chance to inspire people rather than to try to impress them. It is to show I understand their challenges and to offer practical ideas they can use to reach their goals.
“This is an approach I have followed during my career. Paradoxically, it is one that has seemed to work and has helped to build a superb client base over the years.”
There are many ways to live life. One way is, on some occasions, to approach events by aiming to go for it because they believe there is everything to gain.
Different people follow this approach in different ways. Many of these people have something in common, however, because they see the event as an opportunity:
To be positive … To follow their principles … To do their best to deliver peak performances.
Let’s return to your own life and work. Looking ahead, can you think of a situation where you may want to follow elements of this approach? How could you do this in your own way?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
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