The cost of jumping to execution

You have the start of an idea. You're excited to get started. So you jump into executing that start of an idea.

That can cost you. If you don't take the time to establish a strategic foundation, you increase the chance of starts and stops. The potential goes up for efforts to meander.

Look at it this way. Wouldn't you spend 5% of the investment in time you're about to make in order to ensure you get the most out of the other 95% of your investment?

Spend the little bit of time it takes. It can be as simple as asking these four questions to establish the strategic intent of your effort.

  1. What are you trying to accomplish? If you don't know where you're going, you'll struggle to get anywhere.
  2. Who are you talking with? Describe who they are, how they think, and how they act. Detail the challenge you're helping them address.
  3. What is the most compelling thing you have to say or offer? Get to the heart of why your audience will care.
  4. What are the reasons that your audience will believe your most compelling point? List the supporting points that will help build your case.

This simple exercise can help ensure the process is less frustrating while improving the quality of your execution. That's a great return on a small investment of your time.