Starting and growing a business is exciting and ambiguous – and that’s the fun. It’s a time of possibility, experimentation, imagination, and showing the world what you can do. But, progress is not a straight line and being a leader is incredibly demanding, stretching you, spreading you thin, and spiraling you toward burnout. Become the leader your vision requires – cultivate the clarity, discipline, and momentum you need to explore boldly and lead intentionally. Get a weekly nudge to think differently, lead intentionally, and keep exploring.
⛰️ Don’t Lose the Big Picture
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Everything you need to do. That big to-do list of yours. Those projects you’ve been working away at. The extra hours you’ve been putting in. Those painstaking details you’ve given your full attention to. What is it all in service to? Maybe you have a vision or a goal. You've made a plan, you’ve brainstormed the tactics, you've whittled it down to specific behaviors or habits. That's great! It’s all going to help. And, a word of caution: Don't lose the forest for the trees. Take a step back every now and then to see the big picture. Working on something ambitious, something demanding, something that is meant to reshape your status quo? There’s a risk of getting caught up in the details. People lose their way when they lose their why – when they’ve lost the thread that connected their day-to-day actions back to the reason they were doing those actions in the first place. Why? Because navigating the path to results is ambiguous and challenging. There will be twists and turns. It's easy to get lost. Holding the tension of building something new while also keeping the rest of your life on track can be disorienting. It helps to have something to point you forward instead of retreating back, to help you zoom out and remember why you started in the first place. A way to nudge yourself back to what it’s all in service to… I have personally found myself in need of that reminder many, many times, especially when I’ve done something that stretched my comfort zone or carried some risk. It’s not just the details we get caught up in, it’s the angsty feelings that come with them. They are yelling at us to retreat, begging us for a distraction that feels safe or, in some cases, to give up. But, if you really want the change you seek – the goal, the vision of the person you are becoming, whatever it might be – and the payoff that comes with it, it’s your job to shift your attention away from all the noise and difficulties of the moment, and back to the big picture. Out of the details, and toward the horizon. So, how do we do that? You might have to experiment with what works best for you, but I have found value in writing it down and repeating it to myself when I’m in the thick of it. Try filling in the blanks to these prompts to get started:
Put it on your desk. Frame it on your wall. Carry it on a note in your pocket. Whatever it takes to get you to remember: this is what it’s all in service to. 📫 If this sparked an idea, or if you’re feeling stuck, I’d love to hear from you. You can reply directly to this email to share what you’re working on, ask a question, or suggest topics you’d like me to cover in future newsletters. I read every response. Until next time, Michael
Michael Schefman | 321 Liftoff Copyright © 2026 by 321 Liftoff LLC |
Michel Schefman, 321 Liftoff
Starting and growing a business is exciting and ambiguous – and that’s the fun. It’s a time of possibility, experimentation, imagination, and showing the world what you can do. But, progress is not a straight line and being a leader is incredibly demanding, stretching you, spreading you thin, and spiraling you toward burnout. Become the leader your vision requires – cultivate the clarity, discipline, and momentum you need to explore boldly and lead intentionally. Get a weekly nudge to think differently, lead intentionally, and keep exploring.
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