Options in tandem

The answer will be no.

It sounds crazy to go through life thinking that everyone is going to say “no” to you but that’s just reality. The first word you learn as an infant? No. The first word your infant learns? No. The first word you scream at your dog? No. The first word a VC says to your pitch? No.

Prepare to hear it on repeat but have a great story and a plan to fight it.

You need to have options and attack them in tandem. Putting all the effort into one outcome is a sure sign you will fail. Your simple goal is to move as many options forward every day so that you are not starting over after every time you hear the word “no”. As one option falls, another should take its place.

To do this you need to produce. Good options are only available to those that are worthy of them and to be worthy of them you need to be able to show a great story. This means hitting your growth numbers, showing the results that you promised, demonstrating traction, you know…building the thing you said you were going to build.

Controlling your own destiny means always working options in tandem. The last place you ever want to be is out of them.