Not Missing the Forest for the Trees
And how to apply this principle consistently
We’ve all heard about the value of long-term thinking. But the payoff also feels so distant in the future. What if I told you that long-term thinking can yield everyday gains? That’s exactly what we’ll unpack today. We’ll also cover a simple hack of how to make most habits stick, including the habit of long term thinking 😉
We often find ourselves caught up in near-term challenges that demand our immediate attention. But guess what, most of the time these challenges pale in intensity when you look at them with a long-term lens.
I had a recent chat with a colleague who was concerned we won’t land at a lucrative enough pricing from our vendors in order for the product to be cost effective for our first customer. It was a clear problem we had to navigate. But was it the be-all-and-end-all of our approach? Far from it.
We took a step back and thought how would the equation look like when we have our second customer and our third? What about when we have 50 customers? The cost equation now looked a lot more palatable. As we shifted our view past the trees the forest came into view, and we began laying out our strategy beyond the first customer.
Short-term roadblocks are inevitable and there will be many to come. During those times, it is the long-term vision that gives the impetus to overcome adversities. Without a clear destination in mind, it's easy to get lost in the weeds of daily obstacles.
Setting this long-term vision requires some audacity. It might seem bold, even unrealistic at first, but that's exactly what rallies the team. It gives us the means to grow our people, pushing them beyond their perceived limits towards a shared goal.
At Studio in the Cloud, our journey is still evolving. With each passing day, our destination becomes incrementally clearer. And it is the postcard of our destination that helps us line up the new puzzle pieces into place.
As leaders, our job is to maintain this broader perspective. Set audacious goals, rally our teams, and consistently work towards that vision, adjusting as needed but never losing sight of the ultimate destination.
👇🏼That’s just me after literally navigating trees and forests 🙂
Pre-deciding Your Success
Reading about a problem, an anecdote and a conclusion seldom turns a thought into a habit. But pre-deciding sure gets you real close.
We all know change is hard, especially when it comes to habits we *know* we should adopt. But what if I told you there's a handy technique that makes it much easier?
The secret? Leverage your environment to prescribe the action.
Here's how:
Identify a specific trigger
Decide to perform your desired action before, during, or after that trigger
Optionally use mnemonics alarms or sticky notes to remind yourself
Your brain already does this subconsciously for certain things. Ask a smoker about their post-meal urge for instance. It’s a matter of moving it to the foreground of your consciousness.
Example: “I'll go to the gym right after dropping off the kids.” “Every time I feel like having a drink, I’ll pick up a book to read instead.” “When I have an immediate problem to deal with, I’ll take a step back and think broadly for new ideas.”
This works because...
By pre-deciding an action and linking it to a specific time and place, you're setting yourself up for success. Why is it effective?
Reduces decision fatigue: You've already made the choice, so you don't have to debate with yourself every time.
Creates a clear cue: Your trigger becomes a natural reminder for your new habit.
Builds consistency: Regular execution helps solidify the habit faster.
Overcomes inertia: Having a set plan makes it easier to get started, even when motivation is low.
Leverages existing routines: By piggybacking on established habits, you're more likely to follow through.
Pro tip: This method works great for teams too! When assigning tasks, be specific about when and where they should be completed.
For instance, "The last agenda in the operational readiness review meeting is to schedule marketing team engagement to prepare for the launch." By baking it into the agenda, you setup your team to follow up, even when you are not present.
Remember, change doesn't have to be overwhelming. By making small, strategic decisions about when and where you'll act, you can make significant progress towards your goals.