Handstands are one of the most challenging exercises, involving strength, balance and focus. It can take years for a yoga practitioner to develop his or her handstand practice.
It’s comes down to core strength, mental focus, hand placement and centered breathing. As groundwork, a series of extension and leg movements must be learned. The pay-off for many hours of this rigorous work is, at best, 10- 15 seconds of upside down bliss in the handstand position.
For many people, the thought of doing this is just too much—an unattainable moonshot of a stretch goal (especially for a middle-aged person). Yet the handstand journey itself is a valuable discipline that results in a huge improvement in fitness whether or not the goal is reached.
Stretch goals are never easy. However, there’s always intrinsic value to pursuing them as they challenge and elevate your game in ways the status quo can not. Smart companies subscribe to the same philosophy regarding stretch goals.
Whether developing a new product, penetrating new markets or acquiring another business, companies that take on transformational projects tend to develop a higher level of business performance within their enterprise than those that don’t. When employees are challenged in entrepreneurial ways to step outside their comfort zones, they see things differently. The old routine begins to incorporate new ways of thinking and new ways to approach to day-to-day tasks and challenges. It kicks you outside the box in more ways than one.
Focusing on a new, big idea empowers employees to look outward to see their value through the prism of a new step or journey. This helps them become more creative and resilient.
It also helps them develop more focus on how to be a part of the solution to a challenging project. As they get deeper into the project, they’re likely to become more invested in their current role and find greater opportunity for teamwork. This often leads to greater productivity throughout your organization.
Whether the big stretch goal is ever reached or that big idea ever comes to fruition, the end result is same. The journey has been an educational and productive learning experience for everyone. Companies that use the handstand approach to form stretch goals have that extra performance edge that puts them ahead of the pack.