One thing I’ve been reminded of this year is that not every decision in business comes with a clear answer.

You can research, plan, and ask other business owners what they think. You can even make your pros-and-cons list. Still, after all of that, you may not know.

Sometimes the answer is simply: try it and see.

Not every idea needs to be permanent

I’ve experimented with different things in my business this year.

Some ideas have worked exactly the way I hoped, while others have surprised me. In a few cases, I’ve realized pretty quickly that I wanted to do things differently.

And there are other things I’m still figuring out.

I used to think trying something new meant I needed to know where it was going first. Is this something I’m going to keep doing? Does this fit my business long-term? Will people respond to it? Is it worth the time?

But how can you know all of that about something you haven’t actually tried? You can’t always think your way to the answer. Instead, sometimes you have to experience it.

Trying something isn’t the same as committing to it forever

I think this is where we can make things harder than they need to be.

We treat every new idea like we’re signing a lifetime contract with it.

But trying something gives you information.

For example, you may discover that you love it or that your clients do. On the other hand, you might find a better way to approach it or realize, Nope. This isn’t for me.

All of those are useful answers.

Deciding not to continue something doesn’t automatically mean the idea failed. The experience may have taught you exactly what you needed to know.

And that’s still progress.

The lessons aren’t always in the wins

Some of my biggest lessons in business haven’t necessarily come from the things that worked perfectly.

They’ve come from paying attention.

What did I enjoy?

What felt harder than it needed to be?

What did my clients respond to?

What would I change if I did it again?

What isn’t aligned with where I want my business to go anymore?

Those answers help me make the next decision.

And sometimes that’s all an experiment was supposed to give you; not a permanent new offer or a completely new direction, but a little more clarity than you had before.

A big part of growing a business is being willing to adjust along the way. I’ve talked about that same kind of intentional thinking when it comes to planning your brand and preparing for what’s next.

Give yourself permission to find out

There’s a lot of pressure in entrepreneurship to look like you have everything figured out.

But I’m becoming much more comfortable saying, I’m going to try this and see.

I can make a thoughtful decision and give it a real chance. The experience will tell me something, and from there, I can decide what comes next.

That’s very different from moving without intention.

Sometimes trying something is part of the plan.

So if there’s something you’ve been considering in your business, your career, or even your personal life; maybe you don’t need to know today whether you’ll still be doing it a year from now.

Maybe you just need enough information to take the first step.

Try it. Pay attention. Learn the lesson. Then decide.

Sometimes, that’s how you find your answer.

And for me, I’m learning to be completely okay with that.