30,000 feet

Posted on Jun 22, 2010 | 0 comments

Have you ever sat pressed against the window of an airliner and watched the ground pass by while flying at an altitude of 30,000 feet?

The perspective from this vantage point is different than when you are on the ground. When on the ground, you are caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily activity and interaction with other people. You are interacting with family at home, colleagues at work, or maybe even bumping paint with other cars on the highway.

From 30,000 feet above the surface of the earth, your eyes scan over miles of terrain. You may see manicured farmland that surrounds a small city or a mountain range with a highway that disappears through the center.

When you are on the ground you are in the middle of daily activity. When you are flying high above you look down on it. This “in it versus on it” distinction is an important one especially when it comes to business.

Working in your business means that you are enthralled in the day-to-day activities and necessary tactics that make your business go. Working on your business is different. When you work on your business you are focusing on the forward vision and strategy of the business. I send kudos to Michael Gerber who has so eloquently framed this conceptualization in his E-myth business, books, and teachings.

There are times in which you must walk the earth in your business. And there are times that you should hop into an airplane to observe your business from the sky. What is most critical is that you understand the difference between the two vantage points and that you develop your ability as a Zoom Thinker™. Your real challenge as an entrepreneur, business owner, or leader or manager at your organization is to spend more time flying at 30,000 feet than walking on the ground.