What Three Things Need to Go Right?
Close the Gap P.2 Ch.2
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Achieving your 90-day objective doesn’t require mastering countless tactics or adopting every new tool on the market. It’s about identifying the two or three most critical actions that, if executed well, will drive the most significant results.
By reasoning from first principles, reflecting on what’s worked for you in the past, and employing a “less is more” approach, you can create a reliable success system that consistently delivers.
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Reasoning from First Principles
To set yourself up for success, start with first-principles thinking. Break down your 90-day priority into its fundamental elements and build your solution.1
Instead of relying on assumptions, industry “best practices,” or conventional wisdom, strip the problem down to its essential components and reconstruct your approach from the ground up.
Here are steps you can take to apply first principles thinking to your 90-day objective:
Identify Core Assumptions: Start by deconstructing your 90-day objective. What must happen for this goal to be achieved? List the most essential actions, resources, and conditions.
Ask “Why” Five Times: Challenge each assumption by asking why it’s necessary. This iterative questioning uncovers the root cause of success or failure. For example, if you aim to acquire ten new clients, ask why each step is necessary and whether it directly contributes to that outcome.
Rebuild with Clarity: Once you’ve peeled back the layers, rebuild your plan by focusing only on the most critical actions that genuinely drive your objective. Discard anything that doesn’t directly contribute to your goal.
This approach keeps your focus on what truly matters, ensuring you’re not wasting time on unnecessary actions that don’t move the needle.
The Rearview Mirror vs. the Windshield
One of a solopreneur’s most significant mistakes is constantly looking out the “windshield” for new solutions—chasing the latest tools, tactics, or strategies promoted by an online guru or digital marketer.2
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The answers you need are usually found in your “rearview mirror.” Your past successes hold valuable insights that are often overlooked in the pursuit of something new.
Here’s how to reflect on what’s worked before: