So you want to launch a business...

How to eat a five hundred pound marshmallow

"Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work."

                                    Peter Drucker

The vast gorge that lies between noble intent and significant achievement is, of course, quite real, and widely documented.  Lofty goals are commonplace.  Noteworthy achievement?  Not so much.  And this is particularly true for entrepreneurs and their ambitious startup plans.

Many years ago one of my friends presented me with a clever metaphor that I have since used on a regular basis.  Speaking about one particular challenge, he said, "This is like a five hundred pound marshmallow.  I can't even get a firm grip on it, let alone eat it.  But if I chop it up into bite sized pieces, I can at least make some progress." 

It seems to me that the vast gorge between intent and achievement might be addressed in the same manner.  So - I hereby offer a simple experiment that you may perform in the comfort and security of your own office. 

How to eat a five hundred pound marshmallow...

Commit to specific, short-term, relevant actions that are obvious and powerful pre-requisites to lofty outcomes, rather than to the outcomes themselves.  Hold the outcomes in mind, of course.  But focus on the actions, one at a time.  Select one.  Complete it.  Review your situation.  Determine what the next most relevant action should be, and take it.  Repeat as needed.

Example.  Don't resolve to increase sales by $1,000,000. 

Instead, visualize your business as vibrant and prosperous, larger than it is today, with more clients, placing larger orders.  Then execute one specific, measurable, immediate, relevant action on the path to that prosperity.  Perhaps it might be to make five prospect calls today.  After those five calls are made, assess the fresh information.  The next most useful action might be to make five more calls; or it might be to compose a new introductory pitch; or it might be to lower prices by 10%.

Bonus: every time you actually complete one of those relevant actions, you get an accomplishment boost, a nice recharge for your Moxie.

So, remember the old English proverb, "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride."  Transform your vision into meaningful action.

P.S.  This system also works for New Year's Resolutions.

Goal-setting - the ugly secret

Inherent in every goal is permission to stop trying.

This is particularly dangerous in competitive environments - business, for example.  When specific, static targets are used to define the meaning of the enterprise, outcomes tend to be less than optimal, particularly for start-ups. Why?  Because, according to Gene Bellinger, as we near our goals most of us simply do not try as hard.  Our motivation wanes.  He uses systems theory to explain the phenomenon.  I prefer simple metaphors.  I use sports.

In 2006, Phil Mickelson led the U.S. Open by a stroke as he stepped to the 18th tee.  A par would win.  A bogey would force a playoff.  He had been playing steadily, reliably.  He was nearing his goal.  And he lost his edge.

Once focus is lost, once tension is relaxed, the door is open to the adversary.  Phil made four poor shots in a row and squandered his chance for a historical run of three grand slam wins in succession. 

In the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, upstart Boise State led Oklahoma 28-10 after 3-1/2 quarters of play.  Oklahoma sucked it up and roared back with to take the lead.  With seven seconds left to play Boise State was 50 yards out.  Oklahoma had it won.  They only had to survive one more play.  Oops.  At least they managed the tie that Phil had blown.  They didn't lose until overtime.  Oklahoma, it might be argued, played the game from a survivor mentality.  Boise State, on the other hand, played the entire game, and also the overtime, from an underdog mentality.

Many commentators have suggested that Tiger Woods plays golf as if he were trying to destroy his opponents.  His record is not perfect, of course.  No one is perfect.  But he almost never surrenders a lead.  In fact, he typically attempts to build his lead, even when logic might suggest defensive play.

Some football coaches are criticized for continuing to score against a clearly defeated opponent. 

Neither Tiger nor the football coaches want to lose their edge.  Regaining it is too difficult.  They look beyond the current game.  Relaxing and permitting sloppy play amounts to practicing mistakes, obviously a sub-optimal application of time and energy.  That's why the coaches never tell their starters to let up.  But to show good sportsmanship, they do usually send in their less skilled players.

So - what is the substitute for traditional goals?

Bellinger argues for pursuit of continuous improvement as a better model.  In industry this is called the Deming Cycle.  Vince Lombardi demanded "relentless" pursuit of perfection. (The Super Bowl trophy is named after him, by the way.)  It's not just your blogging buddy Jim Flowers arguing that traditionally conceived goals contain the seeds of eventual defeat. 

For any entrepreneur, commitment to a powerful, continuous process in support of a grand vision is far more reliable as a motivator, and as a management model.

What to do next...

Focus.  Mastery.  Measurability.

Success has a lot to do with focusing limited resources.  Here’s an exercise to start you on the path to that focus.

Make at least three copies of the simple outline that appears below.  You fill out one of them.  Ask two or more of your Mentors to do the same.

I’m facing a wall.  Success is on the other side.  If my new enterprise is to succeed, to penetrate the wall, it must excel at each of the following Three Dominant Factors:

1.     
2.     
3.     

I will gauge progress toward the Mastery I seek according to these clear Measurability criteria:

1.     
2.     
3.     

 

If there is some level of disagreement on the Three Dominant Factors (and that is highly likely), repeat until opinions converge.