Unexpressed Fears

How many projects are fumbled due to unexpressed fears?

The routine is familiar. You begin to regard the tackling of a task with a certain reluctance. The reason for your concern is unclear but something is not quite right. You consider whether you should turn down or delay the project.

At that point your logical, side begins to scoff: "What are you worried about? This is no big deal. You've done this a thousand times before. Get moving."

So you forge ahead. Later, when your fears materialize, you reproach yourself for not having listened to your intuition.

I have a suggestion: Every time you sense something isn't right, start to jot down some possible reasons for your concern. These suspects may not be the culprit but they may be part of the basis for your worry. (A good exercise is to try describing your worry in one sentence.) Then ask yourself how that worry can be allayed. If possible, buy some time so you can give further consideration to the matter.

This is hardly perfect, but it gives you a fighting chance to spot and head off what may become a major problem. Your mind is trying to tell you something. The signals may be unclear but they are there and I say this from a great deal of experience:

If you ignore those warnings, you'll probably regret it.