There is a particular kind of paralysis that smart, thoughtful people are especially prone to. We research. We analyze. We weigh the options. We wait until conditions are just right. And then we wait a little longer.
Tip #2, “Bias Toward Action,” from The Luck Field Manual by The Polymath Investor cuts right through that tendency with two simple words: do something. When in doubt, the author writes, it is better to start imperfectly than to not start at all. Each action you take, even small steps, opens up new possibilities. You get feedback, meet people, learn lessons, and stumble on opportunities you would never find by overthinking.
How many connections have you meant to make but have not gotten around to? How many follow-up notes have you drafted in your head but never sent? How many conversations have you postponed until you had the perfect thing to say?
Here is what I have learned: Perfect never arrives. But good enough, sent today, starts something. Those around you will help to fill in the holes – let them.
Reaching out imperfectly is almost always better than waiting to reach out perfectly. A brief, genuine note beats a beautifully crafted message that never gets written. Showing up to the event even when you are tired beats staying home until you are feeling your best. Action creates momentum, and momentum creates opportunity.
The Polymath Investor puts it well: Fortune tends to favor the ones who do rather than those who endlessly deliberate. In networking and leadership, the people who build the richest, most meaningful relationships are rarely the ones who planned the most carefully. They are the ones who kept showing up, kept reaching out, kept saying yes before they felt fully ready.
So here is your nudge for today: what is one connection you have been meaning to make? Make it. Not tomorrow. Now. Do something.
Happy Networking!
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This post is part of a series inspired by The Luck Field Manual: Rules for Engineering Serendipity by The Polymath Investor. The full manual is well worth your time. Read about it and download it here.