Ready, Fire, Aim David Kingsbury February 8th, 2021

Posted on December 22, 2022 by David Kingsbury, One of Thousands of Leadership Coaches on Noomii.

Editor’s Note: Originally Posted on the website DKKinged.com, where you can find many more articles and sign up for our free e-newsletter.

“Ready, Fire, Aim.”

Most people take this quote as an obvious pun, or more simply, as an obvious stupidity. And yet, I’ve heard numerous business gurus and successful experts quote it as a reliable tactic to accomplishing goals or starting new ventures.

It’s often accompanied by the quote, “Fail fast.” This implies that it’s better to attempt something, learn that you suck at it, and then move on to the next thing rather than remaining stuck in something bad for a long time, prolonging the fail and preventing you from moving on to something new.

There may be some truth to these quotes. Yes, sometimes you do have to fire blindly when there are no other options rather than be paralyzed by inaction. And, yes, sometimes it is better to let your venture die quickly rather than sucking you financially dry in a long, slow death spiral that is inevitable.

That being said, isn’t it better to actually hit the target by taking the time to aim? Certainly. Or, how about this one: isn’t it better not to fail and instead actually achieve what you set out to do rather than experiencing a rapid series of screw-ups and restarts? I believe so.

The United States military is one of the best trained in the world, which is what makes it one of the most powerful. The military doesn’t teach its soldiers to shoot without aiming or to go ahead and fail quickly. Mission success is vital. Failing is not an option when the stakes are high.

And this requires PROPER preparation. Can you imagine the military saying, “Yeah, just send these new recruits into battle and skip boot camp. It’s okay to miss the target because it’s better to fail fast.” That could only result in a slew of dead recruits and botched missions.

So why do we cling to these idiotic ideas in business? Too many entrepreneurs want to “learn by doing” and in the process end up getting cut down by .50 caliber setbacks that could have easily been prevented by first seeking guidance and the proper training. Sure, charge into the mine field with your new idea if you like, but remember it’s the one that takes the time to navigate a safe path that actually makes it across.

This brash and immature approach does not suit successful professionals that have a strong grasp of their art. And the fools that fall too often blame circumstance and bad luck rather than their own reckless approach. They spout a quote such as Murphy’s Law: “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.”

Interesting. But did you know that Murphy’s Law is actually not about pessimism but rather PREPARATION? Captain Ed Murphy was involved in a US Air Force secret project in 1948 codenamed MX981.

The field of aviation was in its infancy and the US Air Force had only been created six months prior. So Captain Murphy worked on the cutting edge of jet technology, braving the bold new world of aerial combat.

Naturally, experiments and test pilots were involved. And miscalculations or faulty equipment could easily prove fatal. Frustrated at constant mechanical failures and custom-built technology breaking at every turn, Captain Murphy remarked, “If there’s any way they can do it wrong, they will.” This, of course, later morphed into Murphy’s Law as we know it today.

In the end, though, the experiment was a glowing success. John Stapp, a daring test pilot on the project, was later asked why no one was severely injured during the tests. He responded, “We do all of our work in consideration of Murphy’s Law. . .”

What he meant was that Captain Murphy didn’t just “fire without aiming” or “fail quickly,” stacking up the bodies of test pilots in the process. No, he carefully calculated risks, assessed where equipment might fail, and took precautions to ensure everything was in order with back-ups and triple-checks before ever beginning. Captain Murphy took the rational approach that, when danger and risk is significant, thorough planning and preparation is critical.

So, really, Murphy was far more an optimist than a pessimist. He wanted to ensure success and safety, so he took the time to account for everything that might go wrong and then minimized danger by employing the necessary tactics that would safeguard his men. Is this your business approach?

Success is achieved through foresight, adaptability, and careful preparation. Sure, you can charge into the battle bravely lacking the training to keep you and your team alive in the name of “entrepreneurial innovation,” but that’s less like leadership and more like foolishness. But it can help you fail fast.

Or, you can seek the guidance necessary for making your idea a breakthrough, your venture a screaming rocket, or your business a titan of industry in your field. Get the training. Do the legwork. Rein in the impulsive eagerness…and survive.

Or don’t. After all, Survival of the Fittest will sort things out in the end anyway. But if you do want help in the form of coaching, consulting, program development, counseling, training, or any other method of growth, we’re happy to help.

And if not us, by all means, please find someone to help you succeed. Your product or service might just be what saves someone else’s life or wins a war. It’d sure be a shame to waste it.
Until next time, don’t just be transformed: be Kinged.