One reality of exploration is that sometimes you find what you expect or have hoped for. Another reality is that sometimes you find what you never in your wildest dreams anticipated. Being open to both leads to the greatest results.
The Exploration Group once had an expedition where we were seeking market opportunities for a start up business. The commissioner had outlined the discovery they desired to reach. It was clear and quite ambitious. They said they were open to the possibilities that were before them. We jumped in with both feet eager to lead the expedition to help them reach the discoveries they desired.
Once the expedition got underway, the opportunities we found were vast. They were actually bigger and more doable than the commissioner had anticipated. I remember the day when we presented to them our findings with great excitement. We outlined the options and the do-ability of their big dream To our surprise, they said we only want to do this. And in that they described a much smaller market that was a part of the bigger picture we had discovered. We were surprised. And then they said something that surprised us even more. We know this bigger possibility is there and that is good, but we only want to do this. This is what we were looking for as they described the smaller opportunity.
We stopped, knowing they were the commissioner and if that is what they wanted to do that was their choice. We were saddened knowing that they could have help many more people, but they were not ready for the unexpected "bigger" opportunity.