One of my early business “mentors” in the music industry, who turned out to be a mentor in everything to avoid, used to tell me that he had all these industry favors stored away to use when we really needed them, and he didn’t want to use them “too soon.” He also loved to call such a favor “firing a bullet.” Well, that business failed and I can tell you right now that holding those bullets back wasn’t doing anything to prevent that.
If you have an advantage to play in your industry, or a proverbial bullet, fire it! What are you waiting for? Life doesn’t happen tomorrow, it happens today and waiting to trigger an opportunity is just not wise especially in our rapid-fire culture. Maybe that saving favors philosophy worked in 1950 and maybe it still works in certain circles, but today, fire your bullets and pull in the favors when you need them.
On the flip side of that, make sure you show up when a favor is pulled from you. Don’t be stingy now, if you want to take, you need to give.
I hope that today you get out there and fire those bullets you have been saving.
Jesse Barney
January 28, 2020