Use HALT to Make Decisions

Sparkplugging is continuing our tradition called ‘Spark an Idea Thursday’. Each week we’ll be sharing some great ideas for a topic of interest to our readers. We invite you to grab our image and carry the tradition through to your own blog! If you do, please link back to this post so we know where you were inspired!

This week we’re Sparking an Idea About Following Your Gut

This is very timely for me.  Recently my gut took me on quite a journey.  Below is the Reader’s Digest version.

I had an overwhelming urge to contact a fellow WAHM about one of her websites.  I asked her if she had ever considered selling it, because if so, I would be interested in discussing the possibly ownership of it.  I had never approached anyone about such a transaction like that but my gut kept telling me to ask.

Turns out the owner actually had considered it but didn’t take any action on it.  She went on to say that she had actually at one point considered that I would be a good candidate to take it over.  I did what I thought was much research, sought counsel from a confidant and began the negotiation.  A short time later I was the new owner.

However it didn’t take very long before I started to feel an overwhelming sense of buyer’s remorse.  Again I sought counsel about the situation. At first I thought it was just fears of taking on something new and challenging.  We’ve all felt that way at one time or another, haven’t we?

But my gut kept telling me to HALT. Then I was reminded of a nugget someone once told me and that was to never make a decision if you’re HALT – Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired.  So I did a quick inventory. I wasn’t hungry; had nothing to be angry over; I’m alone but that doesn’t make me lonely; and as for tired, well I have Idiopathic Hypersomnia, so I’m always tired, but that was the norm.  Still my gut kept telling me that I had made the wrong decision.

That was hard for me to accept because it seemed so serendipitous that I contacted the WAHM out of the blue and the transaction went very smoothly. Yet when I took an honest look at the situation, I had to admit that I was in way over my head.  My current knowledge, skills and abilities did not come close to that of what would be required to successfully pull off the new venture.

I ended up finding a new home, a very good home for the site and got out from under it and I’m back headed in a forward direction, no longer stuck in the quagmire.

What Went Wrong:  I definitely thought I took all the necessary precautions to thoroughly investigate whether or not there was water in the pool before I jumped in.  I had the peace that I require before making any major decisions and it all fell together well.  The flaw is that I did not ask enough questions as to what would be required.  Had I done so, I would have realized early on that it wasn’t a good match.

What Went Right: I followed my gut by listening to the not so gentle nudges I was feeling that something was awry.  I also followed my instincts and got out before too much time or money was wasted.  We salvaged this misfit, and now the previous owner, the new owner and I are all delighted in the results.

Speaking of results – as a result of this crazy gut journey, something wonderful developed.  Actually it’s still in the development process, but I assure you it’s a good fit and it likely would not have come to fruition had I not had the little experience as described above.  Stay tuned … I’ll let you in on it soon.