STUPID QUESTIONS 101: Where?

“Where do I go from here?” was actually the first thought that popped into my mind as I started writing this morning.

I've sort of hit a wall writing the “Stupid Question 101” posts, so it wasn't really a shocking first thought of the day. But it did get me thinking about where I have come and where I want to go with my career and my business. And as I thought more about it, I realized that “Where?” is a great question for clearing your vision...and for getting you back on track and moving toward making your vision a reality.

“Where?” is a tool that can force us to see where we've been and look at where we're headed.

“Where we have we been?”; “Where do we want to be in 100 years?” and “Will our current direction take us where we want to go?” are all critical questions that need to be answered before you can effectively decide where to focus your efforts today.

Of course, once you've cleared your vision; once you've figured out what track you need to be on, then “where?” can help you decide how best to get on track. And how best to stay there. That's when questions like “where are our customers?”, “where do we produce our product?” and “where should we locate our facilities?” come into play.

And each time you answer one of these, you also need ask “Will help get us where we want to be a hundred years from now, or will it side track us?”

If the folks at Countrywide Mortgage, Enron, or Morgan Stanley had bothered to ask THAT question (and answer it honestly!), they might have seen that their short-term greed would put their companies out of business inside of 10 years, not help is continue thriving in 100. But that's a topic for another day.

For today, just remember to keep asking “where?”...it will help you keep your eyes on the horizon.


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If you need help seeing your horizon, let me know by leaving a comment here or e-mail me at: TomFawls@Council4SmallBiz.com.