Strategy Redux: What got you here won’t get you there
One of the most overused phrases in business? “What got you here won’t get you there.” Now I do actually love this phrase because it’s practical, but it’s also highly infuriating. The way I interpret this statement, which is something that I think a lot of different business owners are saying, is that we need to explore new strategies to reach new levels of growth. Directionally, I believe that's true and I think that we need to be open to exploring that, but what I think gets a little bit kind of mixed up is this idea that we need to throw the baby out with the bath water. So dive in with me on today’s episode of Strategy Snacks as I break down this saying piece by piece to give you the tangible things that you should look for if you’re ready to scale your business to the next level.
Topics:
The infuriating and highly practical belief of “What got you here won’t get you there.”
The importance of frequent reflection as a business owner to consistently line up your effort, energy and results
Where to look for the tangible pieces of strategy that will actually help you grow
Overcoming the fear of changing your messaging because it could be the most important shift
How change is actually a fear of loss and how you can embrace it
Defining what there actually looks like for you to create true momentum
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Frenchie: [00:00:00] Hello. Hello and welcome back to strategy snacks. I'm Frenchy frenzy. I'm a growth strategist and thought partner for industry experts, creative and startup owners. Who are looking to build a lifestyle business that allows them to explore a multifaceted definition of success. And I really am excited to talk about today's topic because this is like, N a Redux on one of the most overused phrases. In business, in my opinion, I don't know. But I also kind of love this phrase.
And so welcome to what is going to be a little bit of a journey. As we talk about this whole idea that what got you here, won't get you there. So high level, the way I interpret this statement, which is something that I think a lot of different business owners are, you know, business coaches are saying is that we need to explore new strategies to reach new levels of growth.
Right? Like doing the same thing over and over again is the definition of insanity [00:01:00] or, you know, all that stuff and all that kind of thing. I directionally, I believe that I think that's true. And I think that we need to be open to explore. But what I think gets a little bit kind of mixed up. Is that. What that can sometimes land as, or get interpreted as is this idea that. We need to throw the baby out with the bath water, right.
That like, Because what got you here? Won't get you there. We have to just start from scratch and keep starting from scratch. I generally believe that is not the case. I think that what it is a sign of whenever you're kind of like ready to reach a new level of growth, reach into a new kind of like. Breakthrough plateau or establish new business vertical or change your business model is that you need to take stock of what you have going on in your business. And then from there, establish what is no longer in service of my new goals of the new [00:02:00] benchmark. And what is actually really serving me and does help me get there. The reason being that a lot of the times we think. That a new level, a new challenge, a new, whatever. Is going to be. How can I put this?
That the new level is like a whole new business.
Right. And that from one day to the next, we're going to flip the switch and suddenly be in this brand new place. That's not really how it works. It is typically a slow transition. That over time. Gets you. To the next business model. Now, this is both. Infuriating and highly practical. So why is it infuriating?
Because typically as entrepreneurs, once we hold the vision or have the vision of what we want next. That's what we want and we want it now. Right? That's what makes us entrepreneurs. That's what makes us business owners. I don't care if you identify as an entrepreneur business owner, whatever point is, is that if you [00:03:00] decided to make your own money and generate your own income, And build your own business that you have, like something in you that's like. Ambitious go getter.
And once things now, So this whole idea of what got you here, won't get you. There is really, I think just a reminder. To reflect frequently. So that you are consistently. Lining up the efforts between where you spend your time and energy and the results that you want. Needing there's some key places to look for.
Right. And so that's really what I want to talk about today in terms of tangible pieces, is that first of all, One, like I said, don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Right? Let it be a process. So think about what am I doing today that still feels aligned with where I want to go and what am I not doing that I should start doing?
Or what am I doing that I need to stop doing? So that's kind of the first step. But then as we think about that in a little bit more detail, what exactly are [00:04:00] we looking at? What are we unpacking? What are we trying to understand? So the first thing that I want you to think about is messaging. Okay. This is the number one reason.
I see people kind of getting stuck between where they are today and where they want to go. Changing your messaging to speak to a new and different audience. When you have established a track record, some track record of making money with the existing. Messaging that reaches a certain audience is terrifying.
I have done it. It is really scary and it took time to work once I shifted. And I think at the same time, it can be the most important shift that you can make to reach that next level of growth. Right. So one is what are some of the initial changes that you could make to is. As we think about this larger transition. There's this moment in time where you might still be one foot in each side, but you need to take this leap around your messaging and shift that, and that can feel really scary.
So I just want to acknowledge [00:05:00] that, but also remind you that it is sometimes. The number one thing, getting in the way of where you are, like taking you from where you are today to that next level. Okay. Second thing is that. We are all.
Almost like physiologically designed to avoid change. Um, change is essentially a form of loss. And so it kind of triggers this like grief reaction. Even if it's a wanted change. Even if it's a desire change, there is this feeling of loss around it. And there's five different kinds of loss associated with change.
To be honest, I can't remember all of them, but a few of them that really stand out to me are loss of time. Like the whole sunk cost fallacy. Um, loss of story, right? Like, oh, wow. I did all this work and I thought I was going places. And you know, now what, what does that mean about me? And loss of status and there's a couple others.
Now I think the loss of story pieces are really interesting. One. [00:06:00] Because it kind of ties into that whole idea of like, nobody's an overnight success, right? Like you just didn't see like the 10,000 hours I put in before I became famous overnight. And I think that there's a similar piece. There is that all of the steps that you have taken. Are all like Lego pieces that fit together into this largest larger piece of the puzzle.
So while it's true that to some degree, if you want to reach a new level, you're going to need to make changes. It is also true that where you are today, the podium that you stand on has as a result of all the Lego pieces that you have stacked and that you have built. Okay. So really, really important to understand that this fear of change is like common.
Um, and it's not going to show up as fear of change. It's usually going to show up as fear as a failure. I'm not a therapist, that's just my guess. And frankly, my experience. Um, And just really knowing that like, That's a process that needs to be had. And even if you talk to people who have worked in [00:07:00] startups and who have been at startups from like the beginning, you get a lot of people telling you, like, I'm so glad we've grown.
I'm so glad that like, you know, we were building the vision and I miss the days when it was just 10 of us in a room, like trying to make this thing happen. So that fear and that sadness around the change is actually like really common. And I actually think something to embrace, right. Because rather than this whole idea of like, what got you here, won't get you there.
Right. Rather than it rejecting the whole path, it's kind of like, all of it is part of the journey. And I think that's really cool and really exciting. Okay. So last but not least. I think the biggest thing that I want you to take away from today is that. When you think about getting there, please, please, please.
I beg you. Define what there is and what it looks like, like where is there? What happens there, right. I'm putting that in air quotes. Like. Really getting clear on what that is. Because otherwise what got you there or what got you here? Won't get you, there is already vague [00:08:00] enough as a statement, but if you don't know, you know, we can define what here is because we can see it.
If we can't define what there is, then what do we even know about how to get there? Right. And if the goal is to get there, if the goal is to make some sort of bigger leap, Into a new phase of your business. Right. Which is ultimately what you want. If you're even thinking about this. Then you have to know what that next phase looks like.
You don't have to know what all the five days down the line look like. But the very next phase, your very next desired phase, what you are going to work to achieve. You need to map that out and be clear about what it looks like and how you're going to get there. So. Now I really hope that this episode has you kind of just thinking differently about this idea of what got you here.
Won't get you there. First things first, like I said, please don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Just, you know, honor what you've built and build on that. Transition slowly. Let it be an evolution. And a mindful evolution, right? Like when you [00:09:00] control. Really think about how your messaging is holding you back.
Because a lot of times that's going to be like your number one blocker. You're going to feel a little freaked out. That's okay. And more than anything, define what there looks like. Okay. So I hope this is a helpful reframe, a new way of thinking about what got you there, or what got you here. Won't get you there.
I love kind of digging into these statements that we kind of just throw around because. I think a lot of times we forget to like DoubleClick and ask ourselves these sorts of questions to like really unpack. What does it mean? What am I telling myself? What are the words? What is the narrative that I have around this change around this growth and evolution of my business? I'm Frenchy frenzy.
I am a growth strategist and thought partner for industry experts and creatives and startup founders. And I'm so glad you're here. Thank you for being a part of strategy snacks. Check out the links in the show notes for all kinds of freebies, fun things to be a part of and ways for you to get featured on the podcast. I'll be back with more soon.
Bye everyone.