What Has to Go Right?

We spend a lot of time asking what could go wrong. It's a sensible question. When you're planning something, starting a business, changing jobs, moving to a new place, launching a project. It ,makes sense to think about potential problems. What could fail? What might I not have considered? Where could things fall apart?

But there's another question that often gets overlooked, and it might be more useful: What has to go right?

This isn't about being optimistic or ignoring risks. It's about understanding what your plan actually depends on. It's about clarity.

The Hidden Dependencies in Our Plans

Most plans look straightforward on the surface. Start a business. Change jobs. Learn a new skill. Launch a product. But underneath that simple statement sits a web of conditions, resources and assumptions that all need to work together.

Take starting a business. On the face of it, the plan is clear. But what has to go right? You need enough money to cover initial costs and keep you going until the business generates income. You need to find customers, people who actually want what you're offering. You need time to run it, which might mean leaving another job or rearranging your life. You need the market to exist or be willing to emerge. You need to stay motivated when things get difficult.

None of these things are guaranteed. Each one is a condition that has to be met.

Or consider changing jobs. The plan sounds simple: find a new role and move. But what has to go right? You need to find an opportunity that actually suits you, at a company or in a field you want to work in. You need to be competitive enough to get hired. You need to manage the transition, giving notice, handling the handover, starting somewhere new. You need the new role to actually be what you expected. You need your current employer to accept your departure without making it difficult.

Again, each of these is something that has to happen for the plan to work.

The point isn't that these plans are bad or impossible. The point is that they're not as simple as they first appear. And understanding what they depend on changes how you approach them.

One Big Thing or Many Small Things?

Sometimes a plan depends on one major event going right. You're waiting for a job offer. You're hoping to win a contract. You're betting on a single outcome.

But more often, a plan depends on several smaller conditions working together. It's not just one thing. It's a combination. And when you're relying on multiple things to align, the math gets more interesting. If each condition has a reasonable chance of happening, but you need all of them to happen, the overall likelihood shifts.

This doesn't mean the plan is bad. It doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. It means there may be assumptions worth examining before you commit.

Asking the Right Question

There's a real difference between asking "What could go wrong?" and asking "What has to go right?"

When you ask what could go wrong, you're thinking about problems. You're imagining obstacles and setbacks. This is useful. It helps you prepare for difficulties and think about contingencies.

But when you ask what has to go right, you're thinking about conditions. You're identifying what your plan relies on. You're examining the assumptions you're making without realizing it.

These are different kinds of thinking, and they lead to different insights.

Asking what could go wrong helps you build resilience. Asking what has to go right helps you build understanding.

The real power comes when you combine them. You understand what your plan depends on, and you also think about what could disrupt those dependencies.

Reframing the Question

Instead of simply asking, "Will this work?" try asking: "What needs to happen for this to work, and how realistic are those conditions?"

This shifts your thinking from prediction to preparation. You're not trying to guarantee success. You're trying to understand what you're counting on.

Here are some questions worth asking yourself:

What am I counting on for this to work? Be specific. Don't just say "it will work out." Name the actual conditions.

What am I assuming will happen? We all make assumptions. The trick is making them visible so you can examine them.

Which conditions can I influence, and which depend on other people or circumstances? Some things are in your control. Others aren't. Knowing the difference matters.

What happens if something takes longer than expected? Plans often assume things will move at a certain pace. What if they don't?

What information am I missing? There are always gaps in what you know. What would help you understand the plan better?

Is there anything I can prepare, test or adjust now? You don't have to wait for everything to be perfect. What can you do in advance?

A Practical Exercise

Here's something you can do right now. Choose one plan you're currently thinking about. It could be something you're actively working on or something you're considering.

Now identify three things that need to go right for it to work. Write them down. Be concrete.

For each one, ask yourself: Is this within my control? Does it depend on other people or external circumstances? Is it an assumption that needs checking?

This simple exercise often reveals things you hadn't consciously considered. It brings your hidden dependencies into the light.

You Can't Control Everything

Let's be clear: you can't control every outcome. You can't predict everything that will happen. Uncertainty is real, and it's not going away.

But you can do several things. You can prepare. You can gather information. You can test your assumptions before you fully commit. You can make adjustments as you learn more. You can consider alternatives if things don't unfold as expected.

The aim isn't to eliminate uncertainty. It's to understand your plan more clearly so you can move forward with intention.

A useful plan isn't one where everything is guaranteed to go right. It's one where you understand what you're counting on and have considered what you can do if things unfold differently.

The Takeaway

When you're making a decision or committing to a plan, take time to ask what has to go right. Not in a worried way. In a curious, practical way.

Understand your dependencies. Examine your assumptions. Identify what's in your control and what isn't. Think about what you can prepare for now.

This kind of clear thinking doesn't guarantee success. But it does mean you're moving forward with your eyes open. You're not just hoping things work out. You're understanding what you're counting on and being intentional about how you proceed.

Your Next Step

Pick one decision you're sitting with right now. Spend fifteen minutes writing down what has to go right for it to work. Don't overthink it. Just list the conditions you're relying on.

Then ask yourself: Do I believe these conditions are realistic? Is there anything I can do now to make them more likely or to prepare for them?

That's your starting point. From there, you can decide whether to move forward, adjust your approach, gather more information, or explore alternatives.

If you find yourself wanting to think through a decision more carefully and systematically, The Right Questions, Kelele Hodari's guided reflection book, is designed exactly for this kind of thinking. It walks you through questions that help you understand what you're really counting on and what matters most.

But whether you use that or not, the principle is simple: understand what your plan depends on, and you'll make better decisions.