More than a few years ago I purchased a motorcycle and took a motorcycle riding course. The most important thing that stuck with me was that when you’re riding, you have to Search, Evaluate and Execute (SEE). Given that riding a motorcycle is dangerous for a variety of reasons, you have to be very proactive. You have to search out potential obstacles/dangers, you have to evaluate what is necessary to stay out of trouble and you have to execute your decisions. All this sometimes has to happen in seconds or less.
When I first started riding, I would remind myself of that every ride. As time passed, I found myself remembering that less and less. After a couple of years, I can be daydreaming about something for work before I even leave the addition. I’ve been very lucky to not have any close calls yet. That is as much dumb luck as skill.
I think all this applies to business as well. You have to search for opportunities. You have to evaluate those opportunities and have you to execute on the decisions you made. Just like on the bike, you have to do all three to be successful (and maybe stay alive).
On the business side of things, my biggest fault as been in the execution. Part laziness and part self-confidence I think.
Those that succeed are the ones that are at their best with execution. What separates the Googles from the Yahoos is execution. There are very few great ideas left on the web. What determines who succeeds and who fails is execution.
So, do you SEE?
If not, what step are you failing at?
What are you going to do to get better?
Search Evaluate Execute