Do You Have a "Just Get By" Strategy?
Written by Melanie Benson Strick
What if I could guarantee you that I could teach you a strategy that would keep you stuck exactly where you are right now, designed to generate a predictably mediocre results? Would you race to my “buy now” opportunity?
Heck no! But yet so many people spend hours a day perfecting a strategy in life to “just get by.”
The other day I watched a presentation on “Getting a Front Seat in Life.” The woman (her name is Marilyn) talked about how people choose a seat to live their life from. Her statistics revealed that more than 50% of the people on this planet are sitting in general admission – but she was choosing the front seat – in order to fully live her best life!
As I’m listening to her I’m trying to quiet the noise in my head “Melanie, what does that mean about you since you always sit in the back row?”
I still don’t have the answer to that one but what I do know is that people who choose general admission typically have a “just get by” strategy.
A “Just Get By” strategy is when we go through life just doing enough not to fail – but never playing full out.
When we are just getting by we…
- Rarely follow through on the biggest opportunities (only the safe options we know we can handle.)
- Spend as little as possible on support and resources to grow (I can do it myself better anyway.)
- Convince ourselves we can figure things out on our own (instead of investing in a mentor.)
- Are too busy to implement what is proven to work (so we just get by with the bare minimum.)
- Putting up with situations that are draining our energy (but somehow rationalize why we can’t let it go.)
Well here’s a new possibility for you:
What if you flipped this strategy around and did everything as if you were expecting to fly through the finish line in record time?
How would you focus your time and energy if you were running your business with the intention to get 110% return on investment in everything you do?
What would you invest in yourself through the right mentors if you committed to play full out?
Which core success strategies would you implement this week (or at least this month) if you stepped up your game to the six figure – or maybe even seven figure – level?
Are there some situations you would handle immediately to stop the distractions and start getting the right things done?
If you've recently complained you a) don't have enough time, b) are making enough money or c) have not fully lived your dream or d) have a much bigger impact to make on this planet, you owe it to yourself to eliminate "just getting by" and flip that into playing as if you are running through that finish line!
I’d love to hear what ares of your life you'll do differently in the comments below:
Article author
About the Author
Melanie Benson Strick, known as The Big Idea Catalyst, helps entrepreneurs re-energize their business, focus on the right opportunities, and to expand their impact with proven sustainable growth strategies. Ready to super-charge your business? Get 25 Tips to Re-Energize Your Business in 7 Days or Less at http://tinyurl.com/45j3ars
Further reading
Further Reading
Website
Alora Packaging
Alora Packaging is a US and China-based custom packaging manufacturer offering premium boxes, eco-friendly packaging, retail packaging, mylar bags, glass packaging, and branded packaging solutions for businesses across the USA and worldwide.
September 16, 2026
Article
The Role of Packaging in Reducing Product Damage During Shipping
Learn how proper packaging can protect products during shipping, reduce damage and returns, lower unnecessary costs, and create a better customer experience for e-commerce businesses.
September 16, 2026
Article
5 Quick Tips for Small Businesses That Want to Implement AI
This article is aimed at small businesses & entrepreneurs who want to implement AI tools into their day to day operations, but are unsure where to begin.
September 7, 2026
Article
Is AMC mandatory for NCA compliance in Saudi Arabia?
An IT AMC is not listed as a standalone legal requirement by the National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA), but NCA controls do require ongoing maintenance, patching, monitoring, and secure management of systems.
August 26, 2026