TCFBO #025: The Beyond Approach

Read Time: 2.5 minutes

When we first started out in business, we attended several events that inevitably featured a high energy speaker who would tell the audience:

“Aim high! Reach for the stars!”

And, being young and ambitious, that appealed to us.

But over time, we’ve come to recognise that aiming high isn’t where the magic happens.

It’s aiming beyond that has the bigger impact.

Let's take a step back.

What is it about your business that really lights you up inside?

Is it scaling a business to serve millions of customers across the globe?

Is it running a small local business with a tight knit team?

Is it working by yourself from your own home?

It doesn’t matter whether your business dreams are large or small.

Because it's not about size or prestige.

It's about passion and purpose.

When you’re fully immersed in what you love, size and scale take second place to fulfilling your heart’s desires.

However, while you're working towards short and medium-term goals, what we discovered was that it's immensely valuable to aim beyond the goal itself.

Here’s why. 

Firstly, and most importantly, you gain an enhanced perspective.

This is the game changer.

Because when you aim beyond, you’re not just looking at the project or goal in hand, you're viewing it in the context of your broader vision.

Which allows you to make decisions today based on where you desire to be in the future.

And this ensures your daily actions remain aligned with your ultimate aspirations.

Secondly, your momentum gets a boost.

Aiming beyond your immediate goal keeps you in motion right up to the finish line.

Ever watched an athlete run a 100m sprint?

Their goal is to reach the finish line.

But their focus is beyond the finish line and their momentum carries them across it.

Similarly, when you’re working towards a goal, your focus on your vision will carry you beyond the finish line of the immediate goal and on towards the next.

Thirdly, you increase your resilience.

Business is unpredictable.

But by setting your sights beyond your initial target, as unexpected obstacles pop up you’ll find ways to overcome them.

Sometimes this may mean you miss or intentionally sacrifice the immediate goal in order to continue towards your vision.

Aiming beyond enables you to see alternative routes that still get you to your destination which may not be apparent if you’re focused solely on the goal.

Aiming beyond does come with a couple of cautionary notes though.

Aiming beyond is about remaining focused on the bigger picture whilst working diligently on the task in hand.

It’s not about constantly pushing for something 'extra' until you or your team burn out.

And it’s not about losing sight of the present.

In our experience, true joy comes not only from turning your vision into reality, but also from fully experiencing the present moment as you take steps to create your vision.

The journey itself holds lessons and fulfilment as valuable as those held at the destination.

It’s also not about discounting your current goals.

Aiming beyond is about enriching your goals, providing them with a context that fits into the grand scheme of your vision.

Whether you're looking to scale up, maintain things as they are, or slim down your operations, it’s important to always remember your 'why'.

That 'why' is your guiding light beyond every task, project, or goal you set for yourself.

So next time someone suggests you should "aim high", give them a knowing smile and reply:

"I aim beyond."

Let us know how you get on and we’ll see you next week.

Paul & Philly

P.S. Remember to celebrate and acknowledge your accomplishments, whether it's the milestone or the 'beyond'.

Because every step you take towards your vision, no matter how small that step is, provides evidence of your continued passion and commitment.

Whenever you’re ready, there are two ways we can help you:

1. Discover how to create a life and business you truly love with your copy of “Backwards Planning - A Simple Method to Move You and Your Business Forward” from Amazon.

2. To work with us through the entire “Backwards Planning” process outlined in the book, you can apply to join The Clear Focus Business Academy.

The first step is to book a facilitated Life Vision Session which we conduct one to one over Zoom. This session will not only give you clarity on what you want from your life but will give you the opportunity to experience how we work and ensure we're a good fit for each other before deciding whether The Clear Focus Business Academy is right for you. It comes with a 100% money back guarantee, so if you're not entirely satisfied, simply let us know at the end of the session and we'll issue a full refund.