📺 Stream EntrepreneurTV for Free 📺

Drop 'If' From Your Vocabulary -- and Watch Your Business Boom I try to make it no longer 'if' we will do something, but 'when' and 'how.'

By Jim Joseph

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Image Source, Getty Images

When my children were young, I used the word "if" a lot

"If you eat your vegetables, then you can have some ice cream." "If you do your homework, then you can watch some TV." "If you behave, then we can play a game of Candyland."

I used the word "if" to put conditions around the situation. I used "if" to stay in control of the outcome. And I used "if" to gently shape their behavior.

Related: Tony Robbins: Want Success? Rewire Your Mind.

I was their dad -- so I did what I had to do.

But now that my kids are older, both in their early 20s, I can't use the word "if" anymore. I can't put conditions around their lives, or control their decisions, or shape their behaviors anymore.

My role as dad has changed. All I can do now is offer advice, provide support, and act as a safety net. They have to create their own "ifs" for their own lives.

So I've taken "if" out of my vocabulary at home.

Dad isn't "dad" anymore -- I'm more of a confidant and a fan. I'm a mega-fan, if you will. I don't mind the change, to tell the truth. Every phase of their development has been so rewarding; the same is true of this latest one as they enter their adult lives.

"If" doesn't apply anymore.

Related: 3 Things That Will Always Rob You of Reaching Your Full Potential

I'm trying to do the same thing at work too.

When I was an entrepreneur with my own agency, I used a lot of "if's" back then too.

"If we get this new account, then I'll hire more staff." "If we make our forecast, then I'll upgrade all of the equipment." "If we get this huge project done, then have a huge staff celebration."

Back in the day, managing around "if" scenarios was my way of setting priorities and dealing with business needs.

In hindsight, I think all of those "ifs" held me back in some way. "If" kept me too conservative. Sure, the business was successful, and I was able to eventually sell it, but I can only imagine what my world could have been had I been more aggressive. Imagine what my agency would have been if I had dropped "if" from my vocabulary like I do now with my children.

I probably could have hired more staff more quickly to track down new business. I could have upgraded our equipment on a more regular basis, staying tighter to the tech curve and improving our work. And I could have created an even more welcoming and creative environment for my staff to thrive.

If only I had done then what I am trying to do now. "If."

I try to be more aggressive in my decisions and let more go to my team. Instead of thinking longer and putting a hold on activities, I'm trying to live more in the moment and move quickly on critical path items.

I try to make it no longer "if" we will do something, but "when" and "how."

Related: All Successful People Zig When Everyone Else Zags

Now mind you, I'm not throwing caution completely to the wind. I'm running a business and I have to run it well. But I'm enjoying this new personal outlook quite a bit.

It's nice not having so many "if's" to worry about.

Jim Joseph

Marketing Master - Author - Blogger - Dad

Jim Joseph is a commentator on the marketing industry. He is Global President of the marketing communications agency BCW, author of The Experience Effect series and an adjunct instructor at New York University.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Thought Leaders

It's the End of the Entrepreneurial Era As We Know It

With the rise of advanced technologies and AI, are we losing all sense of the independent business person and entrepreneur?

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Side Hustle

He Started a Luxury Side Hustle at Age 13 — Now the Business Earns More Than $10 Million a Year: 'People Want to Help You When You're Young'

Michael Morgan, now the owner of Iconic Watch Company, always had a passion for "old things" — and he turned it into a lucrative venture.

Science & Technology

Exploring How Virtual Reality is Changing Startups

Virtual reality's immersive environment is where startup marketing is headed, and early adopters will be the ones who profit.

Green Entrepreneur®

A Deer Invasion in Hawaii Has Turned Into an Environmental Crisis—And a Sustainable Business Opportunity

How Maui Nui Venison built a for-profit harvesting business that protects the land and helps the local community.

Money & Finance

12 Books That Self-Made Millionaires Swear By

The bookshelves of millionaires can inspire you to build your wealth. Here are 12 must-reads they recommend.