The ‘Yes, If…’ Approach

Hello , 

I recently read a great book about Walt Disney, How to be Like Walt, written Pat Williams, a loyal member of his inner circle. 

Amongst the many great anecdotes and stories, he offered one simple idea which resonated with me. He called it the ‘Yes, if’ approach to problem solving.

When he was buying up land in Florida, he would regularly be asked by his advisers, ‘Can we really build Disneyland here?’.

Rather than respond with an answer which starts: ‘It depends…’, Walt would reply: ‘Yes, if…’ 

Williams suggests that this would be a great way of simultaneously identifying problems and starting the search for solutions. 

For example, he would say: 

• Yes, if we hire the world’s best experts to work with us.

• Yes, if we locate somewhere with good all-year-round weather.

• Yes, if we have/create good transport links to get people here.

This made me reflect on some of my own ‘Yes, if’s’.

Can I live a high performance life? 

• Yes,  if I get my work/life balance right.

• Yes, if I spend more time with the people I love.

• Yes, if I stop saying ‘yes’ to things I should say ‘no’ to.

What are your own ‘Yes, if’s’ when it comes to your own ambitions?