The Bullsh*t Factor
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There’s a bit of a con in any risk we take on, be it creating a new business, starting a major assignment that hasn’t been done before or embarking on a journey that has never been attempted.
The con is perceived, and it is that we can make it (whatever it is). That we can get ourselves across the line and do what it is that we’ve set out to do.
Sometimes, it’s a small con - perhaps we’ve developed the needed skills, or we’ve created a business in a similar field before. Other times, it’s not so small - such as when it’s based on an idea or a hunch, but we have no prior direct experience in the space.
In either situation (and across the continuum in between), our sense is that we can navigate the obstacles, overcome our limitations and deliver the hard work needed to make it happen.
What happens next determines if the con is a perception or a reality.
If we don’t make it, our interpretation is important. We could look back and think, well, perhaps it was always a bridge too far. Perhaps, I bit off more than I could chew. That I didn’t have what it takes. In that case, it really was a con. Or at least that’s what you’ve sold yourself.
But you could also look back, and think about what you learned, what you gained and then pivot accordingly. Factoring in your newfound education, you could set off on an altered/new path, one that takes you somewhere better, more appropriate for you.
(And, if we do make it, though, we realize that it wasn’t never really a con at all. That it was really a test of faith, of commitment, of perseverance. That it was a bridge that was eminently crossable, once we committed ourselves to it.)
See, the fact is, our perception of the con is down to us. It’s down to how we think and react. It’s down to the lessons we take away because, while you can take away any lesson you want, it’s important to take away the right ones - the ones that move you forward and not backwards.
The real danger is believing that there’s a con to be had in the first place.
The real danger is in giving in to the fallacy of failure.
In not accepting the reality that, actually, you’ll see it when you believe it.
