Hindsight becomes Foresight

Hindsight is one of those kickers we all get. It’s the, why didn’t I think of that moment. It occurs because we didn’t ask the right question in the planning and preparation stage.

When you’re posed with a question such as If this was easy, what would it look like? The dynamic of what you’re trying to achieve changes.

Instead of thinking about the goal and the path to getting there, you’re now thinking outside the box.

That’s the power of this question. It shifts your perspective, something that is crucial in planning.

For example, when we need to get to somewhere 500 miles away we work with the tools we have to hand, such as a car. We accept it’s going to be a long journey, taking most of the day. We know it’s going to be hard work, even more so with your kids in the back. Let alone if you have to be there on time, will the traffic be on your side?

It’s highly likely we’ll be late.

Now, apply the new thinking we have from Tim. If it were easy, well you’d travel by plane, with less chance of delays, it’s safer and far less stressful. You could be there in half the time.

Yes, it might be more expensive, but the expense saves on other pains, so there is a trade-off to be had.

It’s a simple example, but it makes the point. In business, whether it be a start-up or a marketing campaign, the logic can be even more powerful.

Tim Ferriss used this question to help him gather the quotes that became the book, Tribe of Mentors. His theory behind the book made complete sense. A book containing leading advice from those who had been successful, but how could he gather them?

Ordinarily, it would have meant scheduling interview after interview. Something that could have taken months. Instead, Tim applied his question and realised there was a far easier way to achieving the same thing. He sent an email to all his contacts with three questions on, and most of them replied within a week. With it, he was able to assemble the Tribe of Mentors very quickly, and easily.