Opposing Perspectives

I caught up with a buddy today to discuss an opportunity he’s evaluating. He said he knows he says yes to too many things, often too quickly, and that he’s looking for another perspective before deciding. I’ve known him for years, and I agreed with him. His self-awareness impressed me and made our conversation about his opportunity more substantive. I realized that he and I are opposites, which is likely why he called me. I quickly say no to most things and am slow to say yes to things I’m interested in as I evaluate them.

Being self-aware is difficult but valuable. It helps you understand the areas you can improve upon (your weaknesses) and those you should lean into (your strengths). My conversation today was a timely reminder that in 2021, I want to do a better job jumping on good opportunities that interest me. My habits won’t change overnight, so my plan is to recruit the perspectives of people who recognize good opportunities and are good at saying yes quickly.

I’m glad I connected with my buddy today. Our opposite styles are complementary, which is valuable to both of us. In the end, we agreed to balance each other in 2021. I’m looking forward to that!