Belief & Evidence
In the past seven years of running a business, something that’s becoming painfully obvious is I always find what I’m looking for.
Looking for evidence of people doing a half-ass job, I can find it.
Looking for evidence of my business partners conspiring against me, I can find it.
Looking for reasons it’s not worth it to own a business, I can find plenty.
On the flip side:
Looking for people who care deeply about the work they do, I see them every day.
Looking for reasons I’m lucky to have Jared and Charles by my side, the list is endless.
Looking for evidence of why owning a business is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, I have it in droves.
The story we tell ourselves influences our reality so much that it might as well be a crystal ball. I’m not suggesting we should ignore something that is truly broken, rather I’m suggesting that belief influences action which leads to evidence that reinforces that belief.
If my interactions with my coworkers are rooted in the presupposition that everyone is out to get me, how do you think those interactions will go?
Initial Belief: Everyone is out to get me
Action: I act like a jerk to my coworkers
Evidence/Reaction: People treat me like the jerk I am
Reinforced Belief: Everyone is out to get me
If my interactions with my coworkers are instead rooted in the presupposition that everyone wants me to succeed, how do you think those interactions will go?
Initial Belief: Everyone wants me to succeed
Action: I am kind and generous to my coworkers
Evidence/Reaction: People respond positively to me and go out of their way to help me
Reinforced Belief: Everyone wants me to succeed
Starting Cat & Cloud required belief. If we added up all the positive attributes each of us brought to the table: years of industry experience on both sides of the supply chain, financial expertise, an engaged group of people who followed what we were doing, etc., no combination of them could produce any evidence that could answer the questions: “Will this business succeed?” or, “Is starting this business a smart move?”
So instead of looking for evidence, we started with belief. Belief isn’t a guarantee, things might not work out with it, but things definitely won’t work without it.