Why your Instinct lets you down...

Motorbikes are amazing...

Living in Nevada was the perfect opportunity to learn how to ride a Motorbike, and of course, there's only one brand that counts in the USA - Harley Davidson...

So walking into Red Rock Harley Davidson on a Saturday I bought a Night Rod Special - an 1130 cc Liquid Cooled Cruiser...

In fact, this was my first ever bike, never ridden one before, I had no licence, no experience, not even a moped...

I was told I was crazy to buy this as my first bike, but it looked cool and I generally don't listen to sensible advice anyway...

Taking the bike on a trailer into the desert on the north side of Las Vegas up by the Nellis Airforce base, I found a quiet track to have a play.

I had watched a few YouTube videos about how to ride a Harley - seemed pretty straight forwards; after all, how hard can it be...?

So far so good...

Then I decided to get my licence and have some proper lessons from men with beards and leather waistcoats - so off to training I went...

Now, before I go any further a simple question for you...

How do you make a right turn on a motorbike...?

Obviously, you turn the handlebars so the front wheel points right and around you go...

Your intuition and instinct are correct...

But there's a problem...

Up to about 20mph, this rule holds true - you push with your left hand, pull with your right and you'll turn right...

And obviously, when you push with your right hand and pull with your left you'll turn left...

Everyone knows this...

Above 20mph something very strange happens...

In order to turn right, you have to push with the right hand and pull with the left, the front wheel moves left, you lean in and the bike goes right...

So it's like a case of opposite lock, or countersteering, it seems counter-intuitive, doesn't make sense, and goes against logic...

But, when you are riding a bike, it just seems to make sense, you don't have to think about it your body just moulds to the bike, and logic is replaced with what feels like a natural flow as you lean into curves.

In fact, one of the most dangerous things to do on a bike is to think too much when entering a bend - so many bikers fight the corner, don't lean, don't look ahead, and come off on the apex of bends in the road - no other vehicles involved just the involuntary appointment with a tree that is very painful...

So the rule is - your Instinct could be wrong...

This is true in business and in life - here's a few examples of what seems to make sense logically, doesn't work in real life...

1. Discounting is good - no it's not. If you make 10% net profit and you allow your sales team to make a special offer of 20% to boost volumes - you'll go out of business...
2. People buy on Price - no they don't unless you let them...
3. I'll think about it - is a positive response in ales - no it's not it generally means they think you're an idiot...
4. Money is a motivator - short-term maybe, but recognition, advancement, culture and respect are much stronger in the long run...
5. Business is seasonal - only if you allow it to be...
6. My business is special - not it's not, it's the same as everyone else's...
7. Tesla is bankrupt - no, in fact, they may be buying Mercedes Benz...

So while sometimes our instinct can be a positive filter for decision making, sometimes it trips us up and we get it wrong...

How to avoid...?

Simple, read books, get a Coach from outside your sector who will ask the tough questions, research, and recognise when you are allowing your assumptions to guide you rather than the facts...

Have a great week...

David Holland MBA is a Business Coach based out of France with offices in the UK and Luxembourg...

He works with Business Owners, Executives, and their Teams enabling them to Be more Do more and Achieve more..

Married to Lynn since 1986 although they have been together since 1979, they have two boys, two dogs, some chickens, rabbitts, and guinea pigs in the garden of their renovation cottage in the Moselle Valley.

To find out what it's like to work with David all you have to do is drop him a message and arrange a coffee ZOOM - there are no injections and it's really quite painless...

So drop me a note on my personal email and let's have a chat...

Email - davidholland@resultsrulesok.com