The $250,000 Question I Ignored

In this episode, Allison Dunn shares a personal story about a decision that cost her $250,000 and reshaped the way she coaches leaders today. When she was launching her coaching practice, buying into a franchise felt like the safe and strategic move. It offered structure, systems, and the promise of certainty. But the day before signing the agreement, her dad asked one simple question: What’s your end game here? Instead of pausing to reflect, she pushed forward. That moment became a powerful lesson in leadership and decision-making. Often, the decisions we rush toward are the ones most influenced by fear. And the questions we resist are often the ones we most need to answer. This episode unpacks: Why fear can disguise itself as strategy How leaders outsource their thinking when they rely too heavily on someone else’s formula Why knowing better is not enough to protect you from costly decisions The role cognitive traps play in reactive leadership How to catch yourself before autopilot takes over Allison also gives a preview of her upcoming book, Think First, where she outlines five cognitive traps and five practical methods to help leaders think more clearly, make better decisions, and avoid expensive patterns. Get on the early access list for Think First at: deliberatedirections.com/thinkfirst Think First