Pay attention to the markers you run into along the way. I’m all for putting a positive spin on the possibilities of what could be. But still, there are times when yes, it is quite obvious, there have been too many red flags to ignore. And there just isn’t enough wishful thinking to make them go away. Instead, pay attention, take note, and then, if needed, do the hard thing. Assume the project will not go well because of these red flags and simply move on. No need to talk yourself into a dream scenario. Deep down, you know there ain’t gonna be one.