Working backwards to work forwards | GB68

Are you struggling with traditional productivity methods? In this episode of Good Business, we explore 'Backcasting,' a strategic planning approach that could revolutionize the way you set and achieve goals. Discover how this technique allows you to envision your ideal future and work backwards to create a clear path to success. 

Why does backcasting often outperform traditional forecasting? 
How can you apply this method to both personal and business objectives? 

Learn practical steps to implement backcasting in your life and overcome common challenges. Whether you're an entrepreneur, creative professional, or simply someone looking to boost productivity, this episode offers a fresh perspective on goal-setting that aligns with your natural enthusiasm. 

Tune in to unlock the power of working backwards to move forwards!

For more details, visit illanaburk.com.

Good Business is hosted by Illana Burk, CEO of Illana Burk Consulting llc and strategic coach and advisor to entrepreneurs, creative leaders, and industry disruptors the world over.

For more of illana around the web:
Web: illanaburk.com
On TikTok: @illanaburk
On Insta: @illanaburk

Transcript

illana: 0:41

Welcome back to the Good Business Podcast. I'm your host, Illana Burk. And today, we're going to talk about one of my favorite productivity tools. Mostly because it's not really a productivity tool. I get questions all the time about productivity. As a business coach, it's really par for the course. It comes up almost daily with clients in one fashion or another. How do I get more done? How do I attack this project? How do I get from here to here? And this is one of the tools that I work with most often. And for the, because for the most part, in my experience, most productivity advice doesn't really work for everyone because it's all contingent on two things. Willpower and a willingness to submit to discipline over impulsive and spirited productivity, creativity, excuse me. And for a lot of us, that impulsive creativity thing feels a lot more important than getting a whole lot of shit done. So if you're in that category, you might really enjoy this because it helps support both getting things done And being able to be impulsive and creative and only do the things that you feel like doing. So it just gives you a little bit more direction to do that. So today I'm diving into one of my very favorite models that I find works out a lot better for those of us that are cursed with only being able to do things that we're excited about when we're excited about them. So unsurprisingly, It's not actually a productivity model at all, but rather a strategic one. The concept is called backcasting. It's like forecasting, only backwards. So instead of guessing what the future holds and trying to prepare and navigate through something you haven't experienced yet, you start with a clear vision of your goal and work backward. Through all of the steps to figure out how to get there. So you walk backwards so that you can walk forwards. So first I'm going to talk about what backcasting is and where it came from because I think that talking about the lineage of concepts is always really important. I did not come up with this. Then we'll talk about why it can work better than traditional forecasting and then we'll dig into how to actually do it successfully. So there is a lesson portion here. I'm not going to just philosophize at you. So first, what is backcasting? Backcasting is a strategic planning method that begins with defining a future outcome that you want and then determining the steps needed to achieve that future, working backward to the present. It's a proactive approach. It focuses on possibilities rather than limitations, and I'm going to explain that a whole lot more as we go. So, backcasting was first introduced by this guy named John B. Robinson in the 1970s. He was a researcher and a professor, and he specialized in sustainable development and environmental policy, and that's where I came to know This as a tool, because I, as I always feel like I'm like named, like trying to make myself sound fancy when I say this, but I have an MBA. It's in sustainable enterprise. So this is one of the things that I learned during grad school, because it's a concept that's very heavily used in sustainability concepts. How do we solve these big, crazy problems of climate change and sustainability issues without getting limited and bogged down in what we're dealing with right now? So that's why it works really well. I found that it also happens to work really, really well for creating other types of sustainability, such as a sustainable small business. So that's what we're applying it to here, obviously. So he proposed this approach as a way to navigate uncertainties and unpredictabilities associated with long term planning. His theory was that traditional forecasting methods which project, like, future scenarios based on current trends and current conditions, often resulted in a really narrow, narrow, narrow focus on maintaining the status quo. People get really, really attached to what is, so it's very, very hard to future cast into what could be, because we get bogged down in the present so much in maintaining what is. So he theorized that this approach was really insufficient, right? That forecasting model was really insufficient for addressing big systemic changes that are needed for sustainability, and he's definitely credited with some of the major, like, big changes that have happened in sustainability from a cultural standpoint. So it emerged as a response to the limitations of forecasting methods. Which often failed to adequately address, like, the long term environmental challenges and the complexities of sustainable development and mass adoption of new things. So, why backcasting instead of forecasting? Traditional forecasting often keeps us really tethered to, like, the current limits of our current condition. We always are like projecting future outcomes based on past experiences and past information. If you're only taking historical data into context, but like, especially now, when technology and things are moving really, really quickly, then your problem solving is bogged down in something that's already sort of outdated. In a lot of ways. So backcasting helps with that now from a really more granular productivity standpoint, to put it more in like small business terms, if you are just operating from a position of what should I do next, But you have all of these vast options out in front of you. What should I do next can become extremely limiting because you get so bogged down in the granular of the moment and your current conditions that it becomes very, very difficult to actually see what can become possible. You know, it's, I hear all the time from people how much they get bogged down in their past stories, in their past experiences. I tried this and it failed. I tried this and it failed. I tried this and it didn't work for me. But they don't notice that their conditions might have changed. So they have a really, really difficult time. Actually moving forward. So backcasting helps you break through that. So well forecasting, of course, it can be useful. It's not always conducive to innovation or ambitious goal setting. Backcasting, on the other hand, frees you up to conceptualize an ideal future without being constrained by present circumstances, allowing you to be more creative and more expansive in your current present planning in the moment, right? Great. It all sounds wonderful, right? But you're like, Sweet, so like, but how do I actually do that? I'm so glad you asked! Okay, so, we're gonna do three steps, and then I'm gonna talk a whole bunch about those steps. And give you some more concrete examples. So the first step is define your end goal. It sounds simple enough and it kind of is, but I know goal setting is hard. I, and I don't actually love the word goal for the, for this purpose. It's define your end point. Where are you trying to arrive? You know, and that. The idea of a goal feels hard because so often it can feel like a moving target. And I like to look at backcasting, especially in small business, as something that's more like, what's, what state do you want to end up in? Thinking more of it that way, rather than something that's like super duper hard and quantifiable. And I know that's like contrary to most goal setting, but that might feel a little bit better to my particular audience. All of your wonderful peculiarities that I love so much and share. So starting with your state of mind, state of being, where do you want to end up? Make that as specific as you can. Not necessarily, I don't care if it's quantifiable. Maybe you're a quantifiable person. Maybe you like hard data. Maybe you're, I want to grow my email list by 1, 004 people. You know, if you want something that's really specific, Like that, and really, um, really data driven and quantifiable, go for it. But, it doesn't have to be, is my point. So, go with, like, where do I want to kind of be? So, a comparison point to the list building example would be, like, I want to have more influence over more people. Maybe it's not quantifiable. That's okay. That's perfectly all right. You can figure out the ways the exercise is the same, basically. So start by getting crystal clear on that future vision of what exactly you want to achieve as you possibly can. Get as clear as you can. It could be anything from thriving in a new endeavor to scaling a business to a specific level or just scaling your business, you know, but the more specificity you can add to this, the easier the backcasting process is. The second step is to begin to work backwards. Once you've nailed down your end goal, map out the steps that you need to get there. And I really recommend like doing this on like the big wall size sheet of paper if you can, but definitely give yourself space depending on the size of the thing, you know, how far out the thing is you're trying to get to. That should dictate the size of the piece of paper. So I tend to do these on big giant pads when I do them. And I do do this every time I kind of set a new thing. I This is the process that I use to do that, to figure out how to get there. So once you've nailed down your end goal, you're going to map out the steps you need to get there starting from the end point and working back to the present. It's a reverse engineering process to help you identify the key milestones and necessary actions or state of beings along the way. So, and I'm going to give you some more concrete examples of that in just a second. So then the third step is the implementation and adaption. With your roadmap done, you can start implementing the steps in the present. But be ready to adapt as you go, because each step forward will show you new insights, and will usually require some adjustments. And if you start to deviate a little bit too far off of the path, then you have to make adjustments about how far you need to go to get back to your next milestone. So the goal of having the map is to identify those crucial points along that, along the way that will help you see where the adjustment points need to be and whether or not you're getting further away or closer to the next milestone, which will then of course take you to then the end point that you're looking for. So for example, we're going to go into some concrete examples Let's say your goal is For example, to start a podcast. Instead of focusing on where you are now, perhaps you are in the I have no idea what technology to use stage, or I have no idea what microphone I should buy, or I have, oh my God, there's so many hosts, or oh my God, there's so many choices to make. And so you spin around in circles chasing your tail on all of those granular choices. For sometimes weeks, months even, or maybe you make one choice but then all the rest seem overwhelming and you get so much decision fatigue you end up not doing anything. I know none of you can relate to something like that, right? The first step, if that's where you want to end up, is to see yourself as an established podcaster. Because that's really the endpoint goal, right? You want the outcomes that come with being established and having your shit together. Maybe having a good size audience. Maybe you want to quantify that with more specificity. Maybe you don't. For me, usually generalities are actually more useful, but that is just how I'm wired. You know, I know in my head what an established podcaster would look like, what that looks and feels like to me. And you're the only one that matters in this equation. So what does it look and feel like to you? Right? So then, you would work backward, and there's all kinds of steps. So, there's, you know, what is a pro, what kind of a microphone does a pro podcaster have? So, you, then you go back to what kind of microphone does a starting podcaster have? What kind of a microphone does an aspiring podcaster have? The process helps you break down the overwhelm into manageable steps, so that you can feel motivated by focusing on the end result. But you understand that these steps are actually going somewhere, and you're not going to just get bogged down in each one. So for example, that pro podcaster, somebody who's established, they're gonna use the best mic that they can afford. There's actually only a handful. Everybody kind of uses the same one. I use like a, the step down from the one Joe Rogan uses. I don't like Joe Rogan. I don't listen to Joe Rogan, but you know, he's top of the heap when it comes to podcasters. So I'm going to think that he probably did his homework on which kind of microphone he wanted to use. So I didn't feel like spending like 600 on a microphone. So I bought the step down from that, that happens to be really good for the type of room that I'm in, that has a high ceiling and it sounds really good. So basically I bought the best one that felt like it would feel like it could grow with me To being an established podcaster. And it has. So I worked backward from there. So rather than spinning around in circles at which one should I get, because I'm just starting out and I'm trying it out, I'm thinking of the end goal in mind. Because I did that backcasting work. If I want to get to there, eventually when I get there, I'm going to need a really good microphone to get there. In fact, I may not even get there without a good microphone. Now, you buy the best that you can afford. This is not a, this is not like, uh, me endorsing, like, you should definitely spend 400 on a microphone, and everybody needs to do that. That's not at all what I'm saying. It's buying the best you can for the budget that you have, because that is what's going to help get you to that end point. So that's how you interpret that information. So that's just one example. Because then when you get there, you don't have to upgrade five times along the way. You've already been planning for the end being in sight and something attainable. Make sense? Okay. So, put another way. Imagine a company, like, let's use the original example of, like, sustainability. Imagine a company is aiming to achieve zero waste by 2030. Using backcasting, the company would outline what a zero waste operation would look like, and then they would determine the necessary steps to get there, like recycling programs, changing supply chain practices, or innovating their product design. Backcasting not only clarifies the path forward, but helps align the short term actions with long term sustainable goals. Makes sense, right? So you're like, okay, great. That all sounds nice, but it sounds really hard. So, and I won't lie, it's not easy. It's not easy to think this way. How do you think about like, what the, the thing right before you get what you want looks like? It, it's complicated. So you have to kind of break it down and it does take practice. So here's what you need to remember along the way. It can seem really overwhelming. If you know that, then maybe it'll help feel a little less overwhelming if you know that that's kind of a lie, right? Especially if your goal is big though, it can feel even more overwhelming. So break it down into smaller actionable steps and backcast individually from there. You know, if you're somebody who's trying to do this with like a, you know, a big hairy audacious goal where you're like, I want to be like the next governor of my state and I've never, I've never been in politics before. You're going to have to probably break that down into some smaller steps that are each going to have their own backcasted processes to them. So look for where those big moments are and then backcast from there, you know, and that is actually like putting in the work to do that gives you a pretty amazing set of steps to get to move forward. So stay flexible. That's the other piece. It's really, really important to make this work. Your plan is like a road map, but it doesn't have any weather reports, it doesn't have any terrain listed, it doesn't plan for volcano eruptions or pandemics, for example. So it's not a rigid set of instructions. So be prepared to adjust your steps as new information and new circumstances arise. The idea is that you try your best not to move the goalpost at the end. in relation to the current circumstances. So that like, let's say your path is supposed to go from, you know, from point A to point B. I realized I started waving my hands in the air and this is not a visual medium. You want to go from point A to point B. Think of it like a tree branch, right? The leaves grow at the very tip and one is attached to the trunk. If you're starting at the trunk, as you go, there's going to be these little offshoot branches that come off to the Those are the changes in your Current circumstances. If you continue down those roads, down those little paths that are offshoots, you're going to end up somewhere entirely different if you envision this like a tree. But if you envision this kind of like parallel roads that like, if you are moving forward, and then you kind of take an off road, but that off road eventually reconverges with your original path, that's more the way you want to look at it. So that you are always looking for how to get back to the center. How do you get back to the next? You know, rest stop. Road, I'm trying to like, there's a lot of metaphors going on here. So, try to get back to the next thing that's on your roadmap. Okay, onward. Be as specific about your landing point as you possibly can. That's the last thing to consider. And I've said this already, but a vague vision leads to a vague plan. And that's really frustrating when you're like, yeah, this was, Not well thought out. And then, and now I'm just in the middle of Bakersfield wandering around going, why is there no good restaurants? Right? That's, nobody wants that. So the, the clearer you are about your end point, the easier the roadmap actually is to create and follow. So as you've probably gathered, Backcasting is way more than a productivity hack. It's a mindset shift. It encourages a more expansive and proactive way of thinking and planning and strategizing about just about anything. Whether you're looking to overhaul your personal life or drive significant changes in your business, backcasting helps create a structure that is both structured and flexible to get you there without smothering your desire to operate from your gut. And with all of your amazing creativity. And finally, the future isn't something that just happens to us. It's something we can create one step backward at a time. See what I did there? Okay. Thanks everyone. And I am trying a new sign off today. You guys have to tell me if it sounds cheesy. Okay. You ready? Here we go. Please remember it is personal and that's good business. Thanks everybody. Have a great day.