What does it actually take to achieve this X?
Over the last days, I have tried to adopt the mentality of asking myself the “What does it take to do X?” before I start with an action. This question is an unemotional, objective, third-perspective self-manager trying to define clear steps towards reaching X= a thing I want.
This idea became extra clear in my head during a biz class group discussion. I am there just to pass and because I need academic hours. Having had a real biz experience, I am actually able to see how 95% of class content is either irrelevant or objectively false/outdated.
For the group project, I suggested we do something with eCommerce (biased lol). My reasoning seems pretty neat though. I said: “Guys, this is something all of you can go and do like right now. This is like the most democratic form of business right now. You need like minimal starter capital, no inventory, nothing, just the desire to learn the art of putting offers in front of people in an appealing way. No matter what you actually wanna do in biz, this seems to be a great way to start. ”
The answer was: “Nah, it doesn’t sound like something the prof will grade highly.”
No comment.
This idea of asking the question of “What does it actually take to get X?” can save us hours and years of time spent doing the wrong, tangential, wasteful activities.
Clearly, my teammates are in the class to complete activities that will earn a high grade. So they are asking the question of “What does it take to fulfill prof’s criteria?”. Now, my question is clearly different. I am asking “What does it take from my current position, as of September 17th, to learn the necessary biz skills to scale my current ecom brand, open and prepare 2 other ones for the coming Q4 season?”
The class itself and the whole business track in college is probably asking a very different kind of question: “What does it take to teach students the theory of what it takes to run a business?”
Now that I can clearly see the clash of our questions and end goals, it is way easier for me to make good decisions to make progress in answering my “What it takes ” question.
What does it take to open, run, and scale a successful ecom brand?
It clearly DOES NOT take taking bs classes, doing what you are told, following a certain track.
It DOES take acquiring specific skills and knowledge of the art of curating the resources and the art of marketing them to your customers.
With other realms of life, I can ask the same question.
What does it take for me to be happy in life? Be happy right now? What exactly does it take for me to feel accomplished?
The clarity, “unemotionality” and precision of this question will enable me to look past social norms, social constructs, expectations, preconceived notions, and biases to arrive at a more truthful perception of the world to manipulate its variables and arrive at the desired outcomes.