How Do You Define A Successful Decision?

Most people measure success by looking at results. A campaign crushed its goals? The strategy must have been brilliant. Sales went up? The definition of the target audience must have been spot on.

But what if it was just dumb luck? What if the definition was actually off, and you just happened to stumble into success?

Here’s the truth: The real measure of a definition’s success isn’t the outcome—it’s the strength of the assumptions behind it.

Good Assumptions = Good Definitions

A solid definition holds up before you even see the results. It’s built on assumptions that are:

Rooted in reality – Do they match how the world actually works?
Testable – Can you prove or disprove them?
Consistent – Do they work across different situations?

Bad definitions? They’re built on shaky ground.

Imagine a startup defining "customer loyalty" as repeat purchases. Sounds logical. But what if people keep buying just because there’s no better option? That’s not loyalty—it’s a lack of competition.

How to Check If Your Definition Holds Up

Instead of waiting for results, run these tests first:

1. The “What Could Go Wrong?” Test – What happens if your assumptions are wrong? Would the definition still work?

2. The “Exceptions” Test – Find the weird edge cases. Does your definition still hold up?

3. The “Explain It to a 10-Year-Old” Test – If you can’t make it simple, it’s probably full of weak spots.

The Danger of “It Worked, So It Must Be Right”

It’s easy to trust a definition when things are going well. But great definitions don’t just work in good times—they hold up when things get tough.

Success isn’t proof that your definition was right. Sometimes, it just means you got lucky.

So next time you create a definition—whether for a business strategy, a target audience, or even what “success” means for you—don’t just ask, “Did it work?”

Ask: “Did I define it right?”