I love Seth Godin’s October 2 blog post, that says, “What you do next is the most important decision in your career (or even your day). … With so many opportunities and so many constraints, successfully picking what to do next is your moment of highest leverage. It deserves more time and attention than most people give it.”
I couldn’t agree more. Since your time and energy are limited resources, how you choose to spend those assets will ultimately determine the course of your life. What Godin doesn’t say, is how one decides to make the “right” choice of what to do next.
I believe that clarity is key to making the right decision. Are you clear on what you want and why you want it? What is true north for you? Acknowledging what you need and want is the first step toward getting your desires met.
Other questions to consider: Is your vision specific or general? Do you want to “make more money?” or do you want to “earn 30% more in the next year?” Are your plans based on well-grounded assumptions, fact based evidence and instinct? Has the environment changed, or have you gathered new information that makes what you thought you wanted no longer the right fit for you or your company? The lesson? Be open to new information; incorporate it into your plan if necessary.
To lead yourself and others, having a vision of your endgame is important. If you can get clear about where you want to go and why, you can make a good decision about what to do next.
Remember what logician Lewis Carroll said, “If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.”