“Whatever it takes”

If by “Whatever it takes” you mean…

If you say yes to this, what are you saying no to?

What is the challenge here?

What are your restraints?

When are you going to run out of money or time?

How is this going to affect the people around you?

Who do you want your customers to be?

What is the change you are seeking to make?

When is the last time you did something for the first time?

Are you prepared to find your own path, to throw away the map?

What is the worst that could happen?

Do you have the strength to push through the dip?

What do you fear most?

What else?

Then sure, “Whatever it takes” will suffice.

Of course, most managers that tell you to do “Whatever it takes” really don’t mean do whatever it takes. What they are really saying is to get it done–my way, the sure way to succeed. I don’t want to hear excuses. I want results. I want guarantees and certainties that this will work. I want deniability.

Zig used to say, “You can be a wondering generality or a meaningful specific.” Ask yourself what is it really going to take, identify everything that is going into this project and figure out if you have the guts to push through the dip.