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In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, the military historian Robert Cowley coordinated a fascinating series of books called What If? The books featured essays by prominent historians, each one looking at a particular “what if” question in history. For example:

• What if the Mayflower had never set sail?
• What if JFK had not been assassinated?
• What if Teddy Roosevelt had won re-election in 1912?
• What if Lincoln had not issued the Emancipation Proclamation?
• What if Martin Luther had burned at the stake?

Those are fascinating questions, and these books gave historians the opportunity to let their imaginations run wild and speculate on what might have happened if history had turned out a little different.

That’s a great exercise not just for history buffs, but for you as well. As you think about your goals, ask the question, “What if?” 

• What if you wrote that book you’ve been planning for the last three years?
• What if you started that podcast you’ve been thinking about?
• What if you wrote every morning for thirty minutes?
• What if you started calling yourself a writer when people ask what you do?
• What if you started writing for clients, and eighteen months from now you were making as much money in your side business as your day job?

Here’s the amazing thing about these “What if” questions: They aren’t just imaginary scenarios cooked up by historians. These are real-life flesh-and-blood situations that are possible. And they’re not just possible … they are probable if you do the work to make them happen.

The Canadian hockey player Wayne Gretzky famously said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Isn’t it time you started asking “what if” and finally took your shot?