As a founder, business owner, or senior executive, you’re no stranger to high-stakes decisions. Yet, despite your expertise and experience, it’s easy to find yourself hesitating procrastinating, seeking perfection, or feeling the weight of uncertainty and the risk of failure. If any of this resonates with you, you’re not alone. The truth is, many high performers feel overwhelmed or unsure when stepping into the unknown.

But here’s the thing: inaction can be more dangerous than failure. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.

The business landscape is fast-paced, and sitting on the sidelines could mean missed opportunities for growth, innovation, and impact. So how do you get out of your own way and take meaningful steps forward?

Start Small, Scale the Risk

The first thing to remember is that not every action has to be monumental. Scaling down the size of the task can reduce the consequences of getting it wrong. Break your next move into smaller, more manageable pieces. Each small action builds momentum, and even mistakes on a small scale can provide critical learning without risking the whole enterprise.

We know that “80% of the results often come from 20% of the effort” so by leveraging that, you can be more efficient and get more done. What small, strategic actions can you take that will have the biggest impact? Instead of striving for perfection in every detail, focus on what moves the needle and refine the rest later.

Failure and Innovation are Inseparable

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos put it perfectly: “One area where I think we are especially distinctive is failure. I believe we are the best place in the world to fail (we have plenty of practice!), and failure and invention are inseparable twins. To invent you have to experiment, and if you know in advance that it’s going to work, it’s not an experiment.”  (finance.yahoo.com).

If you look at Amazon’s web platform, you see experimentation 1st hand as they continually test things. It they work great, if not they are tweaked and tested again, or alternatives are found.

Success and failure are not opposites – they’re partners.  Every experiment, even the ones that don’t go as planned, brings valuable insights that push you closer to the breakthrough. Failure is simply feedback, and every step forward, however imperfect, provides an opportunity to learn and adjust.

Obsess Over Your Customer, Not Perfection

Bezos also reminds us that innovation starts with “customer obsession rather than competitor obsession.” Focusing on the customer drives clarity and purpose. Don’t get caught in the trap of endless planning or waiting for perfection—take action with the customer in mind. They don’t need you to be perfect; they need you to solve their problems. Every small step you take in their direction brings you closer to a solution.

Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

Finally, stepping out of your comfort zone is where real growth happens. If you feel intimidated by risk or lack confidence in how to proceed, remind yourself that everyone who has ever achieved something significant has felt that same discomfort. The difference is, they acted despite it.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or uncertain about your next move, it’s a sign that you’re on the edge of something meaningful. Take the shot, even if you’re not sure it will land perfectly. Mistakes will happen, but they will also make you stronger, smarter, and more prepared for the next challenge.

Not enough skills or resources?

No one is great at everything and if you need to get something done, but don’t have the skills or resources, think about getting help to get it done.

1. Use your network or create one. Ask someone who has been there before what they did and how.
2. Create time and space in your work life to focus on and figure out the important stuff. Outsource tasks you can get someone else to do.
3. Invest in learning and development and develop the key skills you might need now and do the things most important for you to do.
4. Collaborate or partner. You don’t have to do all the thinking or doing yourself. A well-chosen partner can provide skills, insight, beliefs and passion, networks of suppliers or customers or resources, and opportunities for growth.
5. Leverage trusted advisors or mentors. Seasoned professionals can help you get your thinking processes sorted to overcome challenges and get stuff done.
6. Take bite size chunks. By reducing tasks size you need less resources, tasks get done quicker, results come in faster, you and your business grow more quickly.
7. Hire people who have what you need to grow your business. Leverage their learning journeys to speed up yours. Whether you hire short term consultants or long-term staff, having the right team will help you accelerate what you can do.

The Time to Act is Now

Perfection is a myth. What matters is progress. Scale the task, reduce the risk, and take action. If you’re still unsure, ask yourself this: What’s the cost of doing nothing?

In the words of Jeff Bezos, it’s about “eagerness to invent and pioneer, willingness to fail, the patience to think long-term, and taking professional pride in operational excellence.” These principles can guide your decisions, but none of them happen without taking that first step.

You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take—so take the shot. The path to innovation and success starts with action.

Contact us to discuss the challenges your facing and how to get over them.