Future-Proofing Your Business: Real-Life Strategies to Prepare Your Business for Tomorrow, Today

Chapter 4. The Value of Vision

"You need to know where you are going and why you are going there well before you try and work out where your business is going and why."

Do you remember the question you were constantly asked coming through school: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Do you remember some of your answers? Did you have any idea back then, or were you very clear on your future? Do you sometimes look back and laugh at what you thought you might become?

It's tough for many of us to know how to answer that question at such a young age. I can remember telling my careers advisor that I wanted to be a motor mechanic and a race car driver. However, age and clarity have taught me that I have no interest in fixing anything mechanical. In fact, I don't even own any tools. I can only recall popping the hood of my car twice ... both times by accident. And while I do love getting the race car out onto the track, I suck as a driver. I mean, I love it, and I'd do it every day of my life if I could, but I am surprised that my fellow race drivers have not changed the name on the side of the car from Hazard to something like Magoo. Hazard just sounds way too fast.

I was 36 years old before I could answer that question and 44 before I could solidify my answer into a real purpose. My career up to those points in my life was so incredibly diverse that there was no way I could have picked a correct answer when I was 16.

In fact, looking back on my business career's many twists and turns ...