I took up archery last spring. Not that I didn’t already have enough hobbies—believe me, my free time is packed—but something about shooting a bow and arrow just clicked with me. Sure, I’d shot archery equipment in the past. I mean, who didn’t try archery at some YMCA summer camp as a kid? But this time, I decided to take it seriously. And by “seriously,” I mean I went all in.
I organized a new bow, did some research, and before you knew it, there it was, sitting in my living room—a sleek, shiny new bow just waiting to be shot. I built a target, grabbed some foam blocks, and set up shop in my side yard. Everything I read said to start at 20 yards. So that’s what I did. I stepped up, pulled back, focused on technique, and let the arrow fly.
Here’s the thing: my arrows weren’t bad. But they weren’t great either. I had this little 3-inch black dot on the target, and I wanted all my arrows in that tiny dot. And while I wasn’t missing the target entirely, I definitely wasn’t nailing that dot the way I wanted to. Plus, after about half a dozen shots, I was feeling it—my shoulders, my arms—tired in a way that made holding the bow steady a challenge. Sound familiar? Maybe a little like starting a new business venture or tackling a difficult project?
After doing some more research (because who doesn’t fall down the internet rabbit hole when they’re supposed to be productive?), I found that archery enthusiasts recommended shooting from further back. Counterintuitive, right? Here I am thinking I need to perfect my 20-yard shot, and these pros are telling me to back up to 30, 40, 50 yards. It’s like they wanted me to make it harder on myself. But I gave it a shot—literally.
I started shooting from 30 yards. My groups weren’t as tight, but they weren’t bad either. The further I went, the more I realized something important: it wasn’t about perfection at one distance; it was about improving my overall ability.
The more I backed up, the more I had to focus on the fundamentals—my stance, my draw, my release. All of that muscle memory and focus on technique came into play, especially as I moved back to 50 yards, 60 yards, and beyond.
And then something cool happened. After weeks of shooting from 40 to 60 yards almost every day, I decided to move back up to 20 yards. And guess what? I nailed it. Three arrows, right into that 3-inch black dot. Suddenly, what once felt difficult—nearly impossible—became easy.
So, what does this have to do with business? Well, a lot, actually.
We all have that “20-yard shot” in business—the thing we’re good at, the bread and butter. Maybe it’s the core service we’ve been refining for years, the thing we want to perfect before we try anything else. But here’s the kicker: staying at 20 yards isn’t going to make you world-class. Just like in archery, sometimes we need to back up and stretch ourselves. Try something harder, something more complex. Because when we push ourselves to do more challenging things, the routine tasks—the “20-yard shots”—become easier.
It’s not that you abandon what you’re good at. It’s about continuing to stretch and grow. In our business, as our team expands, we often struggle with change and adaptation. But guess what? That’s one of our core values – Adaptability: embracing change and continuously seeking better ways to serve our clients. The more we push the boundaries, the more efficient we become at the things we once thought were hard.
Here’s the lesson: sometimes, to get better at what we already do well, we need to step back, figuratively and literally. It’s not just about shooting arrows downrange. It’s about focusing on the process and building muscle memory, whether you’re shooting a bow or running a business. Good systems and good processes lead to better results. And the more consistent we are with our processes, the better we perform, even when we’re under pressure.
So, next time you feel stuck, whether in business or life, don’t be afraid to step back, stretch yourself, and tackle something bigger. You might just find that the things you once found difficult have become second nature.
Mark J Modzeleski, CFS, CLTC, AIF
President, Legacy Wealth Advisors of NY