JUST DO IT

It’s terrifying to think about what may be or what might happen.  So much of our income is spent on insurance that we hope never to use. I have been thinking lately about the balance between acting responsibly and simply being sedated by fear. Our forefathers seem to seek adventure, while most of us nowadays are passionate about safety.

How can we avoid risk by assessing and reassessing until the mountain of potential negative outcomes has squelched our fire? I think if we were truthful, we would conclude that the great things in our life came out of acting, not assessing. Michael Porter states the essence of strategy is choosing what not to do. Strategy and careful plodding are important but they are not the most important. Assessing without acting is a recipe for fear and regret.

Nike has made billions off the slogan “Just Do It”. I wonder if they would have been successful using the tag line “Just Think About It”. Just imagine Michael Jordan in the gym, sitting down, thinking about whether to work out.