The other day KJ asked me,“Have you ever seen it done that way before?”
The question stopped me momentarily, and I had to honestly answer, “No.”
That shook me a little as I started to question my strategy and myself. Was I making a mistake? Should I reconsider and do it the way others have done it before?
I decided to use my own three principles of Gumption to get myself regrounded. I need to follow my own instincts in pursuing this important project.
Over the past year, I’ve consulted with countless experts and read more than my bloodshot eyes can remember – it’s now time to take 100% personal responsibility and Function with Gumption… as opposed to following what someone else has done before me.
So here is what I’m going to do:
- Mindset – The way you think. I’m willing to take 100% responsibility for my own thinking. I believe my thinking fully fits my unique needs and objectives. I don’t care if my way hasn’t been done before. It no longer makes sense to try to shoehorn someone else’s way of thinking into my own. I accept that my way will be unique. Never done before. I’m willing to accept this fact and the consequential results.
- Moxie – The way you act. This particular project needs to get done – now! I need to be 100% enthusiastic and committed to it in order to get it done. After all, I’m the one who is 100% responsible for getting it done. So why would I want to give away my motivation by trying to adapt someone else’s way of doing it? I’ve tried that before – the results were mediocre. I’m confident my way will work. And mediocre isn’t a good enough result.
- Graciousness – The way you interact with others. Again, in this particular project, it’s all about interacting with other people. It’s how the world will view my services and products. It’s all about making it easy for other people to interact with me. Making it easy for others to interact with me is 100% my responsibility. I get it!
So while I have not seen it done this way before, I have thought long and hard about the way it should be. The way I want it to be.
I’ve looked to many others for inspiration. I’ve seen bits and pieces that work. Some pieces are good and I like them. There are bits that I’ll incorporate as my own.
Now is the time to just “git ’er done.”
So the answer to KJ’s original question, “Have you ever seen it done that way before?” is now, “No, but who cares?! The world will see it done my way soon enough!”
BTW, the project in question is my website upgrade. Hereafter, the project will be referred to as SG3.0 (SpeakingGump3.0). ETA is late summer.
Have you done the hard work of researching and learning from experts as you proceed on your own important project?
Are you willing to both include and exclude the advice of others as you take ultimate responsibility for a project’s outcome?
Are you willing to trust your own instincts more than advisors who don’t know your situation as well as you do?
Next Blog Title: Smart Is As Smart Does
Next Blog Date: May 29, 2012