We have all experienced “The Blur.”
It’s that feeling when you reach 5:00 PM, exhausted, your brain buzzing from eight hours (or more) of non-stop activity. Yet, when you look at your major strategic initiatives, the things that actually move the needle for you personally, your business or career haven’t budged an inch.
You were moving fast, but you weren’t going anywhere.
In the world of high-performance leadership, this is the difference between traction and friction. It’s the fundamental difference between driving on a paved highway versus driving deep in loose gravel.
The Allure of the Gravel
The “Gravel” is dangerous because it feels incredibly productive. It’s the dopamine hit of clearing your inbox, the adrenaline of putting out a sudden client fire, the satisfaction of sitting in back-to-back tactical meetings.
When you are driving on the gravel, the engine is roaring, the tires are spinning, and rocks are flying everywhere. It looks like arduous work. It feels like demanding work. But if you look at the speedometer, you’re doing 10 MPH while burning highway-level fuel.
Many leaders spend their entire weeks on the gravel because it’s louder and more demanding than the quiet, focused time on strategy. Thoughtful, concentrative, high-impact work.
Mastering Your “3-Foot World”
So, how do we get out of the gravel and onto the highway of real progress? Paradoxically, the answer isn’t just “think bigger.” The answer is often to think much, much smaller, but with intention.
We need to utilize the concept of living in a “3-Foot World.”
Shout out – thanks Navy Seal community for this gold nugget!
Your 3-foot world is what is immediately in front of you right now. It is the singular task that demands your highest cognitive abilities. Think about two slightly overlapping circles. One titled “what matters.” The other titled “what I control.” The space when you overlap these circles is the “3-foot world”.
The problem isn’t that we focus on the immediate; the problem is what immediate things we choose. When you spend your day reacting to pings and notifications, you are letting other people dictate your 3-foot world. That’s gravel.
To get on the highway, you must ruthlessly curate your 3-foot circle.
If your goal is to launch a new division by 2026 (The Highway), your 3-foot world today might just be drafting the first page of the execution plan for 60 uninterrupted minutes.
The Traction Framework
If you feel like your tires are spinning, try this framework to regain traction:
1. Identify the Highway (Weekly): Before the week starts, define the 2-3 major outcomes that really matter. If you got nothing else done but this, would the week be a success?
2. Schedule the 3-Foot Zones (Daily): Block out 90-minute windows where you refuse to engage with the “gravel.” No email, no “quick questions.” During this time, your entire universe is that one strategic document, that difficult conversation script, or that product roadmap.
3. Recognize the Drift: You will naturally drift back toward the gravel. It’s easier there. When you feel the urge to tab over to LinkedIn or check your Slack during a deep-work session, recognize it as a loss of traction.
High performance isn’t about doing more things faster. It’s about ensuring that the energy you expend translates into forward motion.
Stop settling for the noise of the gravel. Get back on the highway.
Does your workday feel more like highway cruising or off-roading in gravel right now?