You Already Know What to Do—So Why Aren’t You Doing It?

There are things in your life right now that you don't need more information about. You don't need another month to think about it; you already know. The problem is that you're pretending not to know because knowing means you're going to have to do something about it. In today’s episode of The Champion Forum Podcast, we’re talking about how to identify what you are pretending not to know, why people pretend, and what to do instead.

What are you pretending not to know?

There are moments in all of our lives when we're looking for answers that we already have. Instead of listening to what we know to do, we keep asking questions, seeking advisors, and repeating the same conversation around eight times. And I'm not saying any of those things are bad. Seeking wisdom is important. Gathering information is important. Being patient is important. But sometimes those things become camouflage for something else: Avoidance. We're not actually searching for the answer. We're searching for an answer that feels easier than the one we already know. And there is a big difference.

You Probably Know More Than You Think You Do

Think about leadership for a moment. I've worked with leaders and organizations for years. And I’ve noticed that sometimes a leader will explain a situation to me for ten minutes. Whether it is about an employee, a performance issue, a problem they’ve tried and tried to resolve, they eventually ask me what I would do. And sometimes I'll respond with a question. "What do you think you should do?" And you know what's interesting?

Most of the time, they have an answer. 

The problem wasn't knowledge. The problem was courage. And I've been guilty of this too. There have been moments throughout my career where I wanted somebody else to tell me what to do because then I didn't have to fully own the decision. Once you acknowledge what you know, you become responsible for what you do with it.

Why We Pretend Not To Know

1. Fear of consequences.

2. Comfort

Leadership Makes This Even Harder

When you have an employee who is not meeting expectations, you can feel the impact in every area of your team. You know their performance isn’t acceptable, and you know nothing will magically change in 30 days. So what are you waiting for? The solution is waiting on the other end of a difficult conversation, and to find it, you have to be willing to face the problem head-on.

Sometimes We Know the Conversation We Need to Have

Have you ever had a conversation with somebody who wasn't actually in the room? You go over in your mind what you will say and how you respond. You might even rehearse this conversation six or seven times. There’s one problem: You have not had the conversation with them. If you've rehearsed the conversation ten times in your head, there's a pretty good chance you need to have it once in real life.

What am I pretending not to know about my own behavior?

Excuses protect our ego, but ownership protects our future. Sometimes we have to recognize that there are many things we cannot control, but we can always control our actions and our attitudes.

Q: Describe a time when you put off something you knew you should do because it forced you to confront something about yourself that you didn’t like? How did you finally confront your own issues? What was the result?

Success Makes Us Complacent

Here's another angle that I think is important. Sometimes pretending not to know becomes more dangerous when things are going well. When the business is struggling, problems demand attention. But when revenue is growing, and your customers are happy, it’s much easier to ignore warning signs. Success can hide problems, and sometimes we tell ourselves: "If it were really a problem, we'd be seeing the consequences." Average leaders respond when the consequences arrive. Great leaders address reality while the problem is still manageable.

Evaluate Your Personal Life

And I don't want this episode to stay inside the office. Because sometimes the most important thing we're pretending not to know has nothing to do with business. Maybe you know you're spending too much time working. Maybe you know you're physically not taking care of yourself. Maybe you know you're saying yes to things because you don't want to disappoint people. It's much easier to analyze a P&L than it is to analyze yourself. But self-awareness is one of the greatest advantages a leader can develop. Sometimes self-awareness is having the courage to admit: "I know exactly what's happening here, and I've been avoiding it."

Knowing Doesn’t Always Mean Acting Immediately

Now, I want to make an important distinction. I'm not advocating recklessness. Just because you think you know something doesn't mean you should immediately make a dramatic decision. Wisdom is extremely valuable, but there is a difference between preparation and avoidance. Here's how you can tell. Preparation has a destination, but avoidance keeps moving the destination.

Q: Have you ever avoided something and called it wisdom? What helped you see the difference? Did one piece of evidence make your change your mind, or did you end up doing what you felt was right the whole time?

Application Activity:

Take out a piece of paper and at the top write, “What am I pretending not to know?” Then divide the paper into four quadrants and label them leadership, career/business, relationships, yourself. Don't try to write something for every category. Just sit with the question. What's the first thing that comes to mind? Then, answer these three questions:

1. What do I already know?

2. Why haven't I acted on it?

3. What is the next courageous action?