"It is uncertainty that creates the space for invention.
We must let go, clear the space, leap into the void of
not-knowing, if we want to discover anything new."
– Margaret Wheatley, Berkana Institute

There are many times during the course of starting, sustaining and evolving a business when the enterprise owner feels as if all doors have slammed shut. It can sometimes seem as if we’ve exhausted all avenues and resources, and we have no idea – not a clue – where to go or what to do next. That can be a pretty unsettling moment, yet it's one that most of us have experienced, and will likely experience again.

In fact, I’ve spoken with many business owners who remember times when they felt certain they were on the brink of failure, with no other recourse but to hang their heads, pack it in, and slink off in shame. And what happened then? In almost every case, the business owner tells of opportunities that suddenly presented themselves, doors (or windows) that suddenly opened, resources that magically appeared, and other circumstances that serendipitously came together. They often say that because that one door closed to them, they considered options and opportunities they otherwise would never have considered.

We’ve all heard the old saying, "When one door shuts, another one opens." While seemingly trite, this saying holds a lot of wisdom. The problem – or challenge – is that sometimes we’re so focused on the one door that has closed, insistent that there's only one particular approach (the one that doesn't seem to be working, or never really got going at all), that we don’t see the multitude of other opportunities, possibilities and resources that are all around us. There is always opportunity; something (or something else) is always possible. It just might not be quite what we had in mind, or be in line with our idea of the perfect course of action or timing.

So right now, if you feel like you’re surrounded by closed doors, if you’re thinking that what you had in mind just isn’t possible, or if you like the idea of expanding your realm of possibility, maybe there’s an opportunity to take another look.

Steps for seeing the possibilities

Seeing possibilities requires a very specific way of looking at things. Where other exercises might call for being contrarian or playing devil’s advocate, "possibility scanning" requires an openness, a sense of gratitude and appreciation, a willingness to ask new questions and not nay-say or edit. It requires us to clear out some space in our minds, which are usually filled with clutter about how things have to happen, what schedule is ideal, and how much of a crisis it seems when things don’t confirm to our rigid expectations. As consultant and author Margaret Wheatley has written, "We see newness as an affront to our plans."

To identify a bouquet of possibilities, you have to believe – if only for a little while – that absolutely anything and everything is possible, and that any hurdles (if there are any) will be easily overcome by resources and avenues that will present themselves to you. You have to believe that timing will be perfect. Even if such a receptive, hopeful, calm and positive state is not your normal way of thinking, there are exercises that can get you into this frame of mind required for seeing what’s possible.

Remember, there will be plenty of time to put on your critic’s hat when you decide how you’d like to put your chosen possibilities into your action plan. But for now, put aside your thinking about scarcity, limitation and barriers, and enter the garden of possibility.

Exercises:

The best exercises for seeing possibilities are those that make good use of all of your senses, and involve both inward- and outward-looking activities. For example, you might do a hike or walking meditation to get the ideas flowing, and then do a visual collage representing all of the things that excite you and awaken your best self. You might engage a friend or colleague in a dynamic discussion, and then find a quiet space to jot a few reflections in your "possibilities journal."

Here are links to some great Ivy Sea Online exercises and food-for-thought that can warm you up to the possibilities:

• Prime the pump with get-started dialogue

• Activate your senses with a collage exercise

• 10 questions to energize you (and your group)

• Finding opportunity in the heart of chaos

• Chaos unveiled – Dialogue-starters

• The 4 keys to success & satisfaction in a big-vision enterprise

• Reflection Connection – reflecting for insights

• Resistance – let it go, and let it flow!

• Give it (the other) hand!

• Great questions to start your day

• Create your vision story

• 8 things you can do right now to create a visionary enterprise

Many of these concepts are discussed at length in Big Vision, Small Business, a new book by Jamie S. Walters. Walters is founder and chief vision & strategy officer at Ivy Sea, Inc., and publisher and editor-in-chief for Ivy Sea Online, recognized by Inc.com, Harvard Business School, CEO Refresher and other business portals as one of the best sites on the internet for entrepreneurs, small-business owners and organizational leaders. The hardcover edition of Big Vision was published in October 2001 by Ivy Sea. The paperback edition will be published by Berrett-Koehler Publishers in Fall 2002. For more info or to order your copy of Big Vision, Small Business, check out the great buzz on Big Vision.

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