Hall of fame hockey player Wayne Gretzky famously described his method for success in the quote, “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where the puck has been.” Business people have recited the quote for years, but what does it really mean?
In its simplest form, the quote refers to success being a moving target. You can’t hit a moving target by aiming where it has been. You need to be able to anticipate where the target will be. While this sounds obvious, in practice more people try to move the target back to where it was rather than figure out where it is going.
In an age of fast moving innovation, the target doesn’t move back. Employees are being replaced by contractors. If you are trying to move the target back, this can be terrifying. If you aim where the puck is going to be, it presents major opportunities for you to control your job and career. Looking to where the puck will be is about looking for opportunities.
The past is past. It will never come again. Trying to do what used to work is not necessarily going to work again. Trying to move the target back is a waste of time and resources. Go to where the puck is going to be.
To find out how a Modern Observer Group coach/consultant can help you determine where the puck will be, contact us here.
Connect With Us