“I never do business with anyone where I have to take a big gulp to move forward”.
(9 Things You Simply Must do to succeed in Love and Life)
The quote above comes from a book written by one of my favorite authors, Dr. Henry Cloud. It is a piece of advice he received from a mentor when faced with a big business decision. This concept can be used in multiple situations and has been a big part of my life.
I was able to leverage this quote with one of my most positive ‘tree branches’ last week to help with a decision she was facing. I’m encouraged with my ability to shape this quote to help my tree branch and others when faced with tough choices.
I was introduced to the written works of Dr. Henry Cloud during a career development course while finishing my masters program in Counseling/Human Relations. The book was so influential it was the first college text book I decided to keep for my personal library. Most days you will find this book on me as I refer to it constantly for additional insight.
The Big Gulp can be defined as the apprehension you may feel prior to making a commitment. The commitment could be business related, personal or a combination of both. How you handle life’s Big Gulp moments can increase your level of happiness as you move forward on your Walk into the Future.
My personal Walk into the Future has been defined by leveraging Big Gulp moments to my advantage. I never accept deals, offers or partnerships with anyone I would have to take a Big Gulp before moving forward. I didn’t heed this concept a few times and moved forward and regretted every minute of the partnership. It took me a few times to experience this before I became a firm believer in this process: when offered something I would have to take a Big Gulp before moving forward, I do not accept it.
The opportunity may seem like the best thing ever, but the Big Gulp reaction should identify additional research is needed. The Big Gulp reaction comes from past experiences where things didn’t seem quite right or the person offering you the deal has done things in the past to make you cautious. Trust your instincts when faced with these situations. Better yet, run the situation by your mentors for additional insight. I recommend you share your apprehensions with your mentors so they can provide advice to cover all angles of the decision. The ultimate decision belongs to you but remember the Big Gulp came from somewhere.
Can you isolate the Big Gulp to something tangible? Can you trust the person offering you the opportunity? There are other things to consider, but these are a few to help jump start the process.
Have you ever experienced a Big Gulp moment and still moved ahead? How did that experience work out for you?
How can you leverage the Big Gulp moving forward? I welcome your thoughts—thanks!
References
Cloud, Henry. (2004) 9 Thing you simply must do to succeed in love and life. Brentwood, TN: Integrity.
Walk Into the Future 