In my (business) world I run into a lot of overthinking. Smart people who make things complicated trying to add perfection versus simplicity. People who dream up wild scenarios of what might be happening instead of asking a question. And those who imagine all the things going wrong, or which might go wrong, in a business that hasn’t had those things happen in a decade.
This has nothing to do with exit planning or the buy-sell world. I believe it’s everywhere and has been for a long time. Where do you think the acronym KISS (keep it simple stupid) came from? From people trying to make every decision or action comparable to a Rube Goldberg contraption.
This seems to go in waves and I’ve experienced a lot of it recently. Maybe because it’s pollen season. J More than likely it’s anxiousness. For example, a client called to discuss a possible business acquisition, one he really likes. By the end of the call I had to tell him to calm down, slow down and just wait (until he can ask his questions).
He was on both sides of it. On one side his imagination was running wild about calamities and on the other he wanted to push it forward fast because he likes the business model so much. He was so mixed up I finally said to enjoy the weekend (this was a Friday afternoon), and we’ll get some answers next week.
Ask direct questions, think about how simple something can be done, and get it done.
“Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood.” Marie Curie
