How I Created a Long-Term Vision for My Career Success (A Story)

Key Concepts

Visioning: The process of defining a long-term goal or "north star."
Long-Term Thinking: Strategic planning that prioritizes future outcomes, influencing short-term decisions.
Phased Approach: Implementing a business or career strategy in stages rather than all at once.
Job Search Coaching: Providing services to help individuals find employment.
Leadership Coaching: Offering guidance on leadership skills and development.
One-Stop Shop: A business model aiming to provide a comprehensive range of services.
Patience and Iteration: The ability to persevere through challenges and make multiple adjustments over time.

The Evolution of a Career Coaching Business

The speaker recounts their journey starting in July 2015, when they committed to becoming a coach and trainer. Initially an executive recruiter, their primary role was connecting businesses with suitable candidates for open positions. While equipped to offer leadership lessons, the speaker recognized a strategic imperative: to first address the immediate need of their clients – securing employment.

Strategic Vision and Phased Implementation

The speaker's overarching vision was to become a "one-stop shop" for all career-related needs, with the exception of domain expertise for some clients. This vision was long-term, and the speaker understood that it couldn't be fully realized on day one.

Key Decision: To initially brand as a "job search coach." This meant that clients would first be helped to find jobs, and then, after achieving that goal, they would likely move on. The speaker acknowledged this would involve "losing a bunch of people" and accepting the associated "pain."

Timeline and Strategy:

Phase 1 (Job Search Coaching): This was the initial focus, fulfilling the immediate mission of helping people find jobs.
Phase 2 (Leadership Coaching): The speaker planned to introduce leadership programs approximately three to five years after launching the job search coaching. This was strategically timed for March 2019.
Long-Term Support: The ultimate goal was to support clients on a "lifelong basis."

The Power of Long-Term Vision and Patience

The speaker emphasizes the importance of having a "big enough north star" that allows for growth. They highlight the rare combination of having a vision years in advance, being patient enough to forgo offering services they were immediately capable of, and the ability to endure the fear of failure.

Benefits of Long-Term Thinking:

Better Short-Term Decisions: Thinking longer term leads to more effective immediate choices.
Resilience to Setbacks: When encountering "bumps in the road," a long-term perspective provides the assurance that there is "time to fix it."
Room for Iteration: It allows for multiple attempts and adjustments (e.g., "10 iterations over the course of a year") to find the best format for offering services, without the pressure of immediate success. The speaker notes that external factors like seasonal vacations (e.g., August) can impact outcomes, underscoring the need for a broader time horizon.

Supporting Clients in Visioning

A significant aspect of the speaker's work involves helping clients develop their own long-term vision. This process, exemplified by a question from "Suzanne," centers on encouraging individuals to think about future possibilities and how they can grow into their aspirations.

Conclusion

The core takeaway is the strategic advantage of long-term visioning in career development and business building. By establishing a clear, ambitious "north star" and adopting a phased, patient approach, individuals and businesses can navigate challenges, make better short-term decisions, and ultimately achieve sustainable, long-term success. The speaker's personal journey from executive recruiter to a comprehensive career coach serves as a testament to this philosophy.