Thinking big does indeed positively impact your Velocity but it also involves taking some risks.

Let me give you an example. In the mid-80s, Apple came out with a new PC. It was called the Apple II.

Around the same time, IBM, which was making most of its money on mainframes, recognized an upcoming threat. So the chairman of IBM challenged an executive, Philip Don Estridge, to come up with their own PC within six months.

The challenge was that they had to use IBM materials initially, but if they couldn’t meet the six-month deadline, they could turn to outsiders, like Bill Gates and Paul Allen of Microsoft, who were relatively new to the business at that time. IBM realized that there was an opportunity of venturing beyond its network to launch a new PC.

Bill Gates and Paul Allen didn’t just go for a simple licensing agreement. They went big. Their vision was to make sure that every PC would run their DOS operating system.

So when they went to IBM they weren’t looking just for a licensing agreement. They were looking for a commitment that every PC produced by IBM and other manufacturers using IBM’s platform automatically has the Bill Gates operating system on it. That is how Microsoft grew to be the behemoth it is today. Nowadays, you don’t even think of IBM anymore. Instead, you ask if someone has a Windows or Apple computer.

The point is this: Bill Gates and Paul Allen took a huge risk when they put IBM against the wall, but they also understood IBM. They understood IBM was dealing with competitive pressures and time constraints.

So, the question for you is: How well do you know your markets? Do you really stick to your vision? Are you doing whatever you can to get there? And are you taking calculated risks that will help you gain Velocity?

Risk is where Velocity resides, not recklessness, but well thought out risks.

#VelocityMindset #thinkbig #takerisks #achievesuccess