Every founder dreams big. But there’s a razor-thin line between ambition that builds empires and optimism that quietly destroys them. In this Tough Things First podcast, Ray Zinn explores the subtle but critical difference between an ambitious founder and an overly optimistic one.
Rob Artigo: Ray, today we’re exploring a subtle but critical distinction. What’s the difference between an ambitious founder and an overly optimistic one? This is something entrepreneurs really need right now. So let’s define the terms. What does healthy ambition look like in a founder?
Ray Zinn: The drive, the passion, that courage that you need to be a successful entrepreneur. That’s what being ambitious is.
Rob Artigo: So what separates that from being overly optimistic?
Ray Zinn: Okay. So optimism is good, meaning you’re looking at the bright side rather than, as they say, you’re looking at the green as opposed to the brown, and so you want to be an optimistic individual. Overly optimistic means that you’re not going to see the forest for the trees. You’re going to only see the good. You’re never going to see what’s around the corner. You need that periscope. Having a periscope is good. Overly optimistic without a periscope is bad. So for those that don’t know what a periscope is, it allows you to see while you’re still underwater, and so that’s a good analogy by the way, because when your company’s underwater, you still got to be able to see, and you got to be able to see what’s around you. Overly optimistic means you don’t have a periscope.
Rob Artigo: I think of Micrell, you probably had a lot of experiences there, but where this came into play, how does this show up in leadership style and team culture? How did it show up in Micrell, and how did that differ from other places that you had to do business with and had personal observations with in different companies?
Ray Zinn: Well, so when I started Micrell, of course I was very ambitious and was passionate about what I was doing and verified as you would, trust but verified, made sure that I was able to see the forest for the trees. I was always looking for obstacles that I had to overcome. I had my periscope up, and that’s being realistically optimistic as opposed to being unrealistically optimistic. When they say, don’t confuse me with the… My mind’s made up, don’t confuse me with the facts, is a problem with an overly ambitious, I mean overly optimistic entrepreneur, because if you say, “Don’t confuse me with the facts,” then you’re really not being a realistic entrepreneur. Being a good entrepreneur means that you are passionate, you drive, you got the enthusiasm to stay at the helm as you would, because in rough seas, you need to have somebody at the helm that knows how to quarter the seas.
So you don’t want to be overly optimistic such that you’re saying, “Well, when I climb this wave, I know I’ll be okay on the other side.” You want to quarter the wave. You don’t want to hit the wave head on, and so that’s the analogy of being optimistic, but not overly optimistic.
Rob Artigo: You have a simple checklist that does walk along those same lines you were just describing. Our listeners are founders of businesses, small and large. There are people who are in college who are looking at the possibility of opening their own businesses, doing their startups, getting their ideas out there, and this is your list of the practical ways to stay ambitious without sliding into over optimism. So this is a list of three points. The first one, if you’re out there and you’re listening and you grab a pen, you can write these down. The first one is, are my goals based on real market data and consumer input or just my own excitement? You can be fooled into thinking that you’re all that in a bag of chips, and in reality, your idea is not that great.
Ray Zinn: Well, that was my comment earlier about, “Don’t confuse me with the facts.” In other words, if you’re not willing to face the facts, then you’re going to be violating that first principle. Look at the numbers, look at the facts, and don’t be fooled by your lack of reasoning, as you would. Say my mind’s made up. Don’t have your mind made up. Look at the numbers, look at the facts. Work with the numbers and the facts. Don’t ignore them.
Rob Artigo: Yeah, definitely don’t ignore them. Number two is, do I have clear milestones and exit ramps if things don’t go as planned? That’s what you were just talking about there, is if you’re overly pleased with yourself, you’re not open-minded enough to plan for change or pivoting when you have to.
Ray Zinn: Well, I’m a pilot and I fly my plane, and there’s that term we use, is to make sure that we have enough fuel to land and then go to an alternate airport, and when we file our IFR flight plan, instrument flight rules, by FAA rules, we have to have enough fuel to reach our destination and an additional amount to go 45 minutes to an alternate airport, because weather changes quickly in business, and so the environment changes quickly, and so you need to have enough fuel, enough money, enough resources to go to an alternate pivot airport and land safely. So that’s the analogy I use for that second principle is have enough fuel money as you would to go to an alternate airport or an alternate avenue, a resource.
Rob Artigo: Well, number three depends on a crew. Of course, you were just talking about flying and you have people there with you who not only take care of the plane in the air, but on the ground, and the question is here in number three, am I surrounding myself with people who will tell me the truth and not just cheer me on? In other words, “Hey Ray, I’m glad you’re flying. Go out there and do this,” and then they neglect to tell you you only have 35 minutes of fuel instead of 45.
Ray Zinn: Yeah. You’re not the only one that’s going to be checking the airplane. I mean, you have it in service to make sure that everything is working properly. You got to trust the company, the mechanics that are working on the plane, and then also your people are fueling your plane. You got to make sure that they’re fueling it with the right kind of fuel and not the wrong kind of fuel, and that those who’ve planned your flight are giving you the right information about your flight en route as well as your landing destination and your alternate airport you want to go to. So having the right people around you is key to landing safely or flying safely.
Rob Artigo: Ray, I appreciate the advice, and it’s a pleasure to talk to you once again.
Listeners, Ray’s book, Tough Things First, is out there, as well as The Essential Leader. They’re full of practical advice and insights just like this. Pick up a copy, and check out the other titles as well, the Zen of Zen series. Ray’s latest book as well, Zen of Zen Daily, 366 total, because of leap year day, readings that you can do every day and learn something from it, and then put them into action every day and make yourself a better leader, better coworker, better employer or employee, whichever the case may be.
Go to toughthingsfirst.com for more episodes, the blogs, and the Zen Starter mentoring program is explained there as well.
Well, have you seen the difference between ambition and over-optimism in your own journey? Well, then share your comments at toughthingsfirst.com, and remember, do the tough things first, right, Ray?
Ray Zinn: Exactly.
