Writer Dale Galloway tells about the two giant retailers in America right after World War II that made two very different decisions affecting their separate destinies. One was Sears Roebuck and Company while the other was Montgomery Ward. The leadership of Ward's expected that after the war an economic depression would come, so they refused to take any risk in expanding. Meanwhile, the leadership of Sears determined that there was going to be economic growth such as America had never seen before. So they went out and expanded into new markets all over the world. As a result, Sears soared ahead while Ward's fell far behind. Sears risked failure, and thus gained greater success.  Of course, new challengers to the throne come along and now even Sears struggles against the likes of Wal-Mart and Target.

What's true in business is true in all of life: There comes a time when you must step out of the boat.