Great leaders and elite competitors share a common trait: they don’t just chase big goals—they break them down into manageable, strategic steps. That’s exactly what Mark Moses, the founder and CEO of CEO Coaching International, has mastered, both in business and in the grueling world of endurance racing.
Moses isn’t just a leader; he’s a competitor in every sense. With 12 Ironman triathlons under his belt and a successful finish at the White Continent Marathon in Antarctica, he has learned firsthand that the secret to overcoming massive challenges is hyperfocus.
“In the world of Ironman, 12 hours is the number that everybody shoots for,” Moses shared on this episode. But instead of getting lost in the enormity of that finish line, he and his coach reverse-engineered the race—breaking it into smaller, targeted segments that ensured he stayed on pace.
That same principle applies to business. Leaders who fixate only on the massive end goal risk feeling overwhelmed. But those who identify smaller, clearly defined milestones create a roadmap their teams can rally behind. And the results speak for themselves. Through CEO Coaching International, Moses has helped more than 1,200 top entrepreneurs and CEOs across 75 countries do exactly that.
The key? Buy-in at every level. “Agreement is optional, commitment is not,” Moses emphasized. “Ultimately, we all have to be committed to it in order to achieve the outcome.”
In this episode, Moses shared powerful insights that every leader should take to heart:
- Ask transformative questions. Business success starts with clarity. Moses challenges leaders to ask the tough questions: What do you really want? and What can get in the way? Identifying goals—and the obstacles that stand in their way—is a game-changer.
- Inspire your team to think big. A leader’s job isn’t just to set goals—it’s to elevate the vision of the entire team. Moses once brought an actual elephant to an annual meeting as a bold reminder to always think bigger.
- Let failure fuel you. Moses knows that setbacks aren’t roadblocks—they’re motivators. After being cut from his college squash team, he didn’t quit. Instead, he channeled that disappointment into his training and went on to win the U.S. Squash National Championship in 1992.
Resources:
- Order Mark’s book— Making Big Happen: Applying The Make Big Happen System to Grow Big
- Learn more about CEO Coaching International
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