Just Like An Arrow

One simple model for producing maximum impact with minimum effort is provided by the act of firing a bow and arrow. To fire the arrow and hit the target requires good grip on the bow and the ground, allowing good balance and posture. The archer has to build tension, pulling back on the cord and pushing forward on the bow while aiming, before finally engaging by releasing the arrow. Success or failure depends on how well each stage has been performed, with maximum effectiveness achieved through focus on the “gripping” and “building” activities; engagement—finally releasing the arrow—should be effortless and assured. 

Applying this model more generally, the three phases can be thought of as follows:

1. Grip: continually reinforcing a strong grip through establishing good foundations (story, standards, structure); developing awareness, monitoring and control; attaining balance.

2. Build: building healthy tension through “pulling back” (actions that are not clearly aimed in the direction of a particular goal, they may be counter-intuitive and opposite) and “pushing forward” (bold steps).

3. Engage: employing timing to achieve maximum impact; relentlessly eliminating waste. Engaging should be as effortless as possible if sufficient investment has been made in the other two phases.


The more impact we wish to generate in a particular area, the more we have to focus on the stages listed under "grip" and "build" above. Foundational elements, awareness, balance and building activities hold the key to engagement with impact. Future posts will illustrate the practical application of these ideas.


Last word this time goes to Magnum performing the title of this post, complete with hair and ripped jeans: