When embarking on a project, you know what’s worse than hesitation, disorganization or missteps? Quitting just because some spectators or sideline reporters inform you that you missed your window of opportunity and suggest to you that it’s best to move on to the next thing. That’s not a recipe for arriving at a good outcome. If the sign on the door says “closed,” break out the lockpicks. “The great game of business” is not a game, it just looks like one.

The marketplace is not hard to decode – it wants to create best fits for handling tasks. The world is full of problems and if you can offer the best solution for a problem, the demand and resources will come to you. What matters to the marketplace is that the problem gets solved. All it takes is your commitment and buy-in from your management team. When that team presents to you and says, “we think we’re the best situated company to solve this problem or handle this task,” don’t say “absolutely” and then start eyeing other dangled projects the moment a roadblock gets thrown in front of you.There are going to be lots of roadblocks and setbacks on the way to solving the problem – that’s why it’s called a problem. What the marketplace wants is somebody who is going to ignore all the people who tell them “it’s over, move on, catch the next train, you’re wasting your time.”  Stay committed to the project and see it through. And when someone says “sorry – not yours,” tell them, “nachos? I love nachos. They’re delicious.”

Written by Dave