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An optimistic skeptic...

As my career has advanced, I find myself constantly evaluating the opportunities I encounter. Every solution, once designed and quoted, gets a mental forecast. I evaluate the likelihood of winning 'the deal' and then assign a percentage in my mind. It is an atypical process. I have to be an optimistic skeptic.

On many occasions I have been overly optimistic, thinking to myself "I got this", only to lose. Ironically this scenario seems to occur when I never had a chance to begin with, when the final decision is more of a non-decision or when there is an unknown obstacle.

On many occasions I have been overly skeptical, thinking to myself "No chance", only to win. Ironically this scenario seems to occur when I did have all of the facts, and just didn't trust them.

To be truly objective about a situation that you are emotionally and financially involved in is tough. The incentive and drive to win can make accepting loss very difficult.

However, the more success one has, the higher the need to manage your time. Whether the answer is 'no' or 'yes', there is power in getting ahead of the correct answer. Not easy to do. We are all limited by the 'tyranny of our own opinion."

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