It’s easier to chart a path between where you are and where you want if you employ the Head Down – Look Around model. Do this by alternating between putting your head down (pushing forward) and pausing to lift your head up (to assess where you are in the landscape).
When your head is down you are moving toward an achievable milestone, an iteration, a micro-goal within the larger goal. In making this short sprint you know the distance between where you are and this next marker (and it’s relatively short). Before setting on the short sprint you get your bearings, know the direction you’re heading and your goal and then just go for it. There isn’t room for doubting or question-asking when your head is down.
Once you have touched your milestone and achieved the goal it is time for the Look Around portion of this model- the moment when you lift your head and look around to take in your surroundings and to get your bearings again. Survey where you have been on your previous short sprint, and assess if there are any adjustments that need to be made in the course. Set these changes, set the new micro-goal, and enjoy seeing the big picture and feeling how you fit in. Repeat the process: Head Down – Look Around.
Too many great ideas get stuck in the Look Around phase with no Head Down to achieve it… and too many people get stuck in the Head Down phase failing to bring context to their work. Do both and you’ll not only get far but you’ll know exactly where you are when you get there.
Love it Ben.
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. You need a good mix of both to get the job done.
Cheers
Noah
Ben:
I am glad I looked around for inspiration and help just on time to read your post….
THANKS and head down again….
Jose! Great to hear from you… glad I could help. Onward and upward!
Noah~ Agreed. I heard it put another way today – Vision and Mission. I’ll expound on that in an upcoming post.
Ben,
I love the metaphor (it’s so great I think I’m going to steal it for discussions with some of my coachees!). When working with entrepreneurs and small business owners, I find that the conventional wisdom argues the opposite. In that mindset, keeping your head down is akin to the ostich sticking his/her head in the sand. Thus so much time deliberately spend deliberating!
The result? PARALYSIS BY ANALYSIS.
In my experience, success stories come out of a mode of action where you know when it is appropriate to look around, and more importantly – not do it too often. The fear of failure or the assumption that you have to get it right the first time brings about the all too common non-strategic, inefficient and watered down offerings to the world.
A big motivation to keep your head down and just do it is to embrace the mantra of fail fast, fail forward. Don’t you agree?
Agreed Kenny.