I don’t think it is the unique atmosphere of Jerusalem, from where many of my clients operate. Nor is it specifically the type of people I encourage through business mentoring. However, every week I find myself entering into long discussions based on the question “what if”.

And more and more frequently I find myself thinking that this is the wrong attitude. The client is on the wrong flight path.

Now let me be clear. From an early age, we are taught to check ourselves and to verify potential scenarios. Rightly so. Just take an investment decision – whether or not to purchase a new appliance for the home or expensive machinery for the office. A wrong decision could be disastrous financially and logistically.

However, while ‘what if’ sounds correct, what many people do not consider is the actual probability of such usually negative scenarios. Are they really likely to happen?

For example: What if the washing machine does not perform, as the reports tell us? What if the machinery does not reach reasonable output levels? What if it rains during the Mediterranean summer? Yes, it could happen, but is this likely? No. So why ask the question in the first place?

The answer is that the ‘what if’ game has become a politically correct commercial form of procrastination. People use it, when they are afraid to make a true decision. If they move on, they will have to commit to a project, requiring time, money and effort. For many, that can be scary.

Is there a way out of the ‘what if’ merry-go-round? Sometimes, I throw the question back at the client, encouraging them to answer their own misplaced question. Alternatively, I give a blank stare, forcing them to consider what they have just said. And on rare occasions, I develop the negative possibilities to a very ridiculous degree, at which point the client graciously asks me to back down.

Learning to ask pertinent questions at the right time is not an easy process, as we all know. Coping with hidden fears, which hold us back in commerce, is no less tricky. Reassessing the correct application of ‘what if’ is a big step in the right  direction