My husband and I have been actively working on putting ourselves out there in new ways. Firm believers that luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity, we have been working harder and taking more risks. The good news is, it's working. The challenging news is, we can't say yes to everything. So we need criteria to help us make smarter choices.
My husband is starting to consider different venues for showing and selling his horticultural photography. The types of questions we're considering for different locations and events include:
How much traffic is expected, and what are the demographics?
How much does it cost to exhibit?
Do we have the right setup for the space available?
How much travel is involved?
Do we have enough inventory or do we have to scramble to get more in time?
What are we giving up if we say yes to this?
What is the impact on our family?
I use a similar approach when I think about speeches. Particularly as I consider accepting invitations for unpaid speeches, I'm looking for yeses to most of these questions:
Is it for a group I support or a cause I feel passion towards?
Will I be sharing a message I really believe in?
Is it geographically convenient to get there?
Can I speak without needing to use PTO or missing out an important family event?
Will the audience include people who may need to hire a speaker in the future?
Am I able to take this on without sacrificing other commitments or causing myself too much stress?
I have a tendency to say yes first and figure out the logistics later. Establishing criteria helps me make better decisions and minimize any negative impact.
What criteria can you establish for the decisions you face?
Photo by Dan Hodgkins on Unsplash