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8–Backcasting – Business Meditation 4
27 Plays3 months ago
In this fourth business meditation of the Unfolding Thought series, Eric Pratum guides you through a Backcasting exercise—a practical tool for mapping out the steps between your present and your long-term vision.
Backcasting flips traditional planning on its head. Instead of starting with today and moving forward, you begin with your ideal future and work backward to uncover the milestones and actions needed to achieve your goals. Through this guided exercise, you’ll create a clear roadmap for success and learn how to keep your daily actions aligned with your ultimate vision.
Whether you’re planning for professional growth, a major project, or personal aspirations, this episode will help you connect your future goals to meaningful actions you can take today.
Mentioned in the Episode:
- How Backcasting differs from traditional planning methods.
- Identifying key milestones that connect your present to your long-term vision.
- Aligning today’s actions with your desired outcomes to stay on track.
Links:
Start at the beginning of the series:
- On the website: https://unfoldingthought.com/unfolding-thought/
- YouTube Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-WyDzPVJzUqWSGGIM0lSxqk4T-TBmsrQ
- Or by searching for Episode 4, titled Unfolding Thought, in your podcast platform of choice.
Visit the Unfolding Thought website: https://unfoldingthought.com/
Join the Conversation:
Have thoughts or questions about this episode? Reach out to Eric at eric@inboundandagile.com or connect on social media.
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Transcript
Introduction and Podcast Context
00:00:05
Speaker
Welcome to Unfolding Thought. I'm Erik Prudem. If this is your first time listening to one of these business meditations, I encourage you to go back to the very first episode of this series. There, I explain the purpose and structure of these episodes and how you can get the most out of them. Look up episode four of the Unfolding Thought podcast titled Unfolding Thought in your podcast player, or check the link in the show notes. Thank you for joining me.
Backcasting vs. Traditional Planning
00:00:36
Speaker
Today, I'm going to guide you through a backcasting exercise. Backcasting is a valuable tool for working backward from a desired future state to identify the key steps and decisions that will help you get there.
00:00:53
Speaker
You've probably been through exercises where you think about your next steps or make plans for the coming days, months, or years. But backcasting flips the script. Instead of starting from where you are now, you start with your ideal future, the success you're striving for, and map your way back to the present.
00:01:17
Speaker
If you haven't already listened to the episode on visioning, I encourage you to do so because backcasting is very similar. But while visioning is focused on clarifying your future vision and what you must do today to begin working toward it, backcasting fills in the middle, diving deeper into the steps between today and that future vision. It helps you see the big picture while ensuring the steps you take today are aligned with your long-term goals.
Envisioning the Future
00:01:52
Speaker
For the next 10 minutes, I'll act as your guide, asking you questions to help you work backward from your goals. As we go, I'll pause so you can reflect on your answers. Feel free to write them down or say them out loud, whatever works best for you.
00:02:13
Speaker
Start by imagining yourself 10 years from now. You've achieved something significant, a goal you've been working toward for years. Picture that success as clearly as you can. Where are you? What's happening around you? What does your work or life look like?
00:02:41
Speaker
To help, imagine writing a movie script for a day in your life 10 years from now. What time do you wake up? What's your home like? What's the first thing you do in the morning? Where do you live? How does your day unfold? What does 10 years from today look like when you've achieved something significant?
00:03:29
Speaker
What have you achieved? Be specific. Is it a promotion? A thriving business? Financial independence? Or something else entirely?
Reflecting on Achievements
00:03:59
Speaker
Now, let's think about the impact. How has reaching this goal changed your life? What's better now than it was before? Is it money? Happiness? A sense of fulfillment? Or something else?
00:04:39
Speaker
Okay. Have you got it? Good. Now we're going to work backward. If you've reached this point of success 10 years from now, what had to happen five years before this? Think of this as a key milestone, a critical event or accomplishment that made your success possible.
00:05:09
Speaker
For example, if your goal is to run a thriving business, did you launch a new product or open a second location? If your goal is financial independence, had you paid off your debts or reached a significant savings milestone? What did you achieve five years before your ultimate success?
00:05:54
Speaker
Now let's go back another step. Imagine yourself two years from today, three years before that milestone, and seven years before this future success.
00:06:12
Speaker
What decisions or actions had to happen to make that milestone possible? Did you secure funding, build a critical partnership, develop a new skill? What happened eight years before your success that was critical to you hitting that milestone at year five?
00:07:00
Speaker
Let's go back one more step. Think about the next 12 months.
Immediate Actions and Milestones
00:07:06
Speaker
What must you accomplish in the next year to stay on track for your long-term vision? This is where backcasting starts to intersect with the present. What is one significant milestone you need to achieve in the next year?
00:07:45
Speaker
Now, let's focus on today. What can you do right now to set yourself on the path toward that 12 month milestone? What's one specific action you can take today to get started?
00:08:21
Speaker
Okay. Let's think about the steps we've outlined, your ultimate goal, the milestones along the way, and the actions you need to take today to move forward. Just take a second and run back through this timeline that led you to that 10 year success.
Aligning Present with Future Goals
00:09:06
Speaker
Backcasting is a powerful way to bridge the gap between where you are now and where you want to be. By starting with your ideal future and working backward, you create a clear and actionable roadmap that keeps you focused on what truly matters. Here's why each step of this exercise is important.
00:09:30
Speaker
First, imagining your future ensures you have a clear, vivid picture of your destination. Second, identifying key milestones helps you break your journey into manageable, logical steps. Third, connecting the milestones to today grounds your vision in action, ensuring you're taking steps now that align with your long-term goals.
00:10:00
Speaker
Finally, fourth, defining today's action ensures you don't just dream, you act. Backcasting is more than just planning. It's about aligning your present with your future, making every decision and action purposeful. And here's why backcasting is crucial to achieving your vision.
00:10:24
Speaker
One, most of us plan in a cascading or waterfall manner, thinking, first I'll do this, then I'll do that, then I'll take the third step and so on. But any delay in the process can become a roadblock. We never get past. Starting with the end in mind helps you keep first things first and avoid losing sight of your ultimate goal.
00:10:54
Speaker
Two, before unpredictable events like black swans occur, nearly no one sees them coming. Afterward, the path to them often seems obvious. Backcasting simulates the hindsight you'd have after achieving your vision, helping you identify the most likely circumstances that could both contribute to and hinder your success.
00:11:24
Speaker
By taking time to work backward from your goals, you gain clarity and direction, and you build the confidence to take the first step toward the future you want.
Conclusion and Further Engagement
00:11:37
Speaker
If you'd like to learn more, I've placed links in the show notes. I also encourage you to email me ah eric at.com or to reach out to me on social media. Thank you for your dedication to this. I hope you found it valuable and hope you will join me for the next business meditation.