I had a client reach out to me late last week to reschedule an upcoming meeting because he was up north at “deer camp” and did not want to come home empty-handed. He planned to stay up for the weekend to make sure he got his deer. This client of mine is a planner; he is meticulous in his hunting plan and strategy, and I was surprised to hear that all that planning resulted in no deer. “I’ve seen plenty of spike bucks walk by,” he told me. “But that’s not what I’m looking for. I’m looking for a monster, I’m looking for a trophy, I’m looking for that big buck.” This guy truly is a Big Buck Hunter.
A couple of days later I was meeting with a client with whom I’m working on some career coaching. We are looking for his next great professional adventure, which can be a frustrating process. He was on the brink of taking the first job offered to him simply to get back on the right track; he was convinced that if he just started working, it would work out for him. I cautioned him against making a quick decision. He had been there before, working in a role he didn’t enjoy for a company that was not a fit, and it didn’t work out. Simply grabbing the first job that comes along could put him in that same position.
My point is this: whether you’re job hunting or whether your buck hunting, a little patience and a plan goes a long way. It’s easy to tramp out in the woods and knock out the first spike buck you see. . . . it takes work, patience, and commitment to a plan to let some opportunities pass you by so you find that monster, that trophy, the one you’ve been waiting for that really works for you. The same goes for a job search, for trying to find that ideal client, for looking for the right hire for your company. Whatever that situation might be, the first opportunity that comes across your desk or walks through the path in front of you might not always be the best one. That’s where the patience comes in. That’s where the planning comes in, allowing yourself time to be more critical, more thoughtful, and more mindful of the opportunities that are yet to come.
Let’s wait for that right opportunity. Let’s wait for the thing that you’ve been waiting for because taking a little more time is a lot better than making an early decision that doesn’t work out. Whether you’re a Big Buck Hunter or whether you’re a Big Job Hunter, take your time, make your plan, and trust in the process you’ve built. We all go to the bar to play Big Buck Hunter, not Spike Buck Hunter, so be that Big Buck Hunter and find that perfect opportunity.
Happy hunting! I’ll talk to you soon.
