It is a documented fact that true love has a way of clouding your cranial processes. Males are especially susceptible to this condition. Thirty-six years ago I was completely infatuated with my first soon-to-be wife (she is still my current wife, I just like pointing out that she was my first; this point was purely to generate some dinner conversation tonight). During that smitten phase, you are completely focused on the target set before you. You don’t focus on anything else.
It was our first Saturday in our new home after returning from our honeymoon. We were waking up and I asked the question “What’s for breakfast?”
Now realize, I had spent the majority of my life until this point living with my mother who got up every morning and fixed her husband and four sons breakfast. Sure, some of them were simply Lucky Charms, but most Saturday’s it was a wonderful spread of scrambled eggs, grits, homemade biscuits, bacon, orange juice, and milk. As I have shared many times, I grew up in Ward and June Cleaver’s house.
I was not expecting the response I got back to my question from my new bride “I don’t eat breakfast!” Who doesn’t eat breakfast? It was at that moment I realized I didn’t really know this person next to me. I am happy to report that over the past 36 years we have come to an agreement; somedays I fix breakfast and some days she fixes breakfast and some days we eat out.
The point of this story is about doing your due diligence before a big decision is made. Obviously, breakfast was not a deal-breaker in my pursuit of my wife. All too often, I see financial decisions being made before the purchasing party has a good grasp of all the facts. After the contract is signed they realize there were either limitations in the product they were not aware of or there were hidden costs they were not aware of. I believe it is very easy to focus on the pleasant aspects of a decision and not take the time to ask pointed questions. Pointed questions leave little room for vagueness.
Finally, ask questions about limitations or restrictions. Most often, the focus in the sales cycle is on the benefits only.
