How to choose when there are too many choices!

Opportunity vs. Outcome

Making decisions:  Are you opportunity focused or outcome focused?

I have been helping people as a Business Coach, Career Coach and Sales Trainer for over a decade now and I have noticed that so many people these days are telling me "I don't know what choice to make" whether it is finding a new job or changing some direction in their personal life.

To use job search as an example here is my coaching:

Say you have a great degree, a great resume and a winning personality.  It is likely that you will have multiple offers coming your way (OR you may be a highly creative entrepreneur and have multiple ides for business you want to start).   For OPPORTUNITY focused people this is where the confusion kicks in.  They start comparing---"Well this one pays more but this one has better benefits and this other one is a shorter commute etc. etc.  On a scale of 1-10 they are all about the same I just don't know how to decide..."

The question I coach them to ask themselves is what is your OUTCOME?

Here is a perfect example:  A couple of years ago I had a coaching client who had a chance to work with Donald Trump for a $250k salary.  What he really wanted to do was start his own business but he said to me; "Mike this is a great opportunity.  I will get paid a lot, work with a man who is a legend and make great contacts"  all of which was absolutely true.  Something, however, did not feel right to him and he had spent quite a few sleepless nights going over and over the options in his head, making pro and con lists and still could not decide.

So I asked him the MAGIC question: "What is your outcome?"

His answer:  "Well I wanted to start my own business so I could work from home part of the week and see my family more.  I want to have control over my schedule.  I definitely want the tax breaks that having your own business gives you.  Eventually I want to hire a good manager so I can dial back even more and travel."

We took a look at the opportunity he would have working for Mr. Trump. A salaried position at 250k so with half going to taxes (no good tax breaks as a w-2 employee) it would be about 125k in his pocket.  Certainly not a bad net income but working for a man like Trump he would be expected to put in 60 hour weeks and sometimes 80. Of course if Trump kept him on after the year was over and he got promoted the work would only get harder--no hiring a manager so he could travel.....

What my client soon realized was that for the right person the offer WAS a great opportunity.  For him however it just did not line up with his outcomes.  He nervously but happily made the decision to continue to build his own business.

I am happy to report that in his first year he made 90k after taxes---less than had he taken the job with Trump but certainly a good income.  In his second year he was able to double that and now in his fourth year he HAS hired a manager and works only about 25 hrs a week while earning a great and well deserved income.

While building his business he did have some periods of extremely hard work that kept him away from his family but they were infrequent. Most weeks he took Monday and Friday afternoons off. On other days he got home by 6 so he could have dinner with his family.  And because has now hired that manager and is able to work less, he and his family can travel just as he had originally dreamed.

My client had been offered a great and glamorous opportunity but when he realized it was not in line with his outcomes the choice was easy.

Ask yourself what are my OUTCOMES personally and professionally?  Once you know the answer choosing the right opportunity will be easy!

As always if you would like assistance with this process feel free to contact me by  calling or visiting www.CoachWithMike.com and filling out the contact form to set up a free session! 

With caring and best wishes for your success and happiness,

Mike Mataraza