There’s a feeling we are all familiar with.
Working hard. Growing. Adding clients. Opening offices.
Can’t quite keep up.
But something feels off.
Like you are chasing something elusive.
Likely a mirage…I’ve identified three that seduce more organizations than anything else.
The Money Mirage:
“Growth” becomes “success.” Revenue. Headcount. New markets. New offices.
Measurable. Addictive. Dangerous.
Private credit chased retail assets because the money was there. Blue Owl sold institutional products to everyday investors without changing the product or the value proposition.
The fit wasn’t there.
Now redemptions are hitting caps. Redemptions are being limited. Retail investors are pissed.
Are you chasing revenue for the sake of revenue?
The Connection Mirage:
You are building relationships. That feels like progress.
Client dinners. Industry events. Networking. Social media followers.
But connection without clarity is just proximity.
Live Nation says it’s “artist obsessed.”
Then their CEO’s emails show contempt for Pearl Jam. Slack messages mock fans.
The connection was never real. It was a transaction…not even with a smile.
Are your relationships built on value and respect…or convenience and extraction?
The Identity Mirage:
Brands become shackles.
“We’re the litigation firm.”
“We’re the disruptor.”
Then, things change. And your identity becomes an excuse.
Quinn Emanuel built everything on being “most feared.”
Clear. Focused. Relentless.
Now, the London office is considering a rebrand to better attract FTSE 100 boards for trusted advisor work.
They want to be both.
That could be a strategy. Or drift.
Intent matters as much as image.
Is your identity a choice or a habit?
The Way Out
Mirages seduce because they feel like progress.
But progress requires intent, a destination.
Without a destination, you chase money, connection, an identity.
The antidote is the Strategy Stack.
What does success look like?
Answer this, and the mirages start to disappear.
What in your world is going on…and what are you going to do about it?