I was 27 seconds away from saying, “Screw it, let’s just do it.” Everything looked right on paper. Partners aligned. References solid. Numbers clean. But that small voice in the back of my head… | Heath Oakes

I was 27 seconds away from saying, “Screw it, let’s just do it.” Everything looked right on paper. Partners aligned. References solid. Numbers clean. But that small voice in the back of my head wouldn’t shut up. I’d been working on this deal for months. I wanted it done. And when I get tired of waiting, I start convincing myself the voice is just nerves. But it’s not. It never is. Someone I trust kept tapping the brakes. Then one simple response in a meeting revealed everything I needed to see. And just like that, the whole picture changed. I was this close to pushing past my gut out of impatience. That’s my pattern. I get antsy at the finish line. I start rationalizing. I lower my standards just to get it done. The longer a deal drags on, the more tempting it becomes to ignore the red flags. Your patience fades and so do your standards. Listen to the small voice. It’s there for a reason.

11 Comments

Michael Glosque

That small voice has saved me more times than I want to admit. Every time I have pushed past it, I ended up learning a lesson I did not need to learn again. Funny how intuition gets louder the moment we get impatient. I have been right at that same finish line, ready to call it good enough just to be done. Age and a few bruises have finally taught me that peace after the decision matters more than speed to the decision. Kudos for trusting the pause. It's almost never nerves. It is usually wisdom trying to get a word in.