---
title: How to Avoid Target Fixation in Business
description: "Target fixation in business: if you're always looking at where you don't want to go, you're going to end up there."
image: https://www.ashleyidesign.com/hubfs/alexey-malakhov-LZVkAbIw74Q-unsplash.jpg
---

![](https://www.ashleyidesign.com/hubfs/alexey-malakhov-LZVkAbIw74Q-unsplash.jpg)

[Business Development](https://www.ashleyidesign.com/web-design-and-marketing-blog/topic/business-development)

# How to Avoid Target Fixation in Business

 By [ Ashley Hill](https://www.ashleyidesign.com/web-design-and-marketing-blog/author/ashley-hill)

 / 

 Tue, Jun 2, 2020

 /

 1 min read

![How to Avoid Target Fixation in Business](https://www.ashleyidesign.com/hs-fs/hubfs/alexey-malakhov-LZVkAbIw74Q-unsplash.jpg?width=300&name=alexey-malakhov-LZVkAbIw74Q-unsplash.jpg)There's a name for staring at the one thing you're trying to miss: target fixation.

It's a term used in a number of industries, from the military to motorcycling. It means you're staring at the one thing you shouldn't be: where you're aimed.

In motorcycling, it means staring at an object in the road right in front of you, like a pothole, or the edge of the road in a corner. The problem is, if you're always looking at where you don't want to go, you're going to end up there. That pothole, or the edge of the road, or loss of a customer, or a global pandemic, are all short-term distractions that need to be acknowledged, yes, but shouldn't be fixated on.

**Instead, you need to focus your attention on where you *want* to go. **Focus way down the road, or as far around the corner as you can. Place yourself so you have the most visibility. Look at nothing, but see everything. Think about what's coming up ahead, and lay out your long-term goals, and then match your short-term plans.

If you want to make 30% more revenue in the next five years, then you need to make a sales goal for the three years, and a conversion goal for the next year. You can't execute a plan without seeing the big picture and setting goals for where you want to be.

---

I help businesses and marketers build marketing and sales systems that drive leads and scale with ease.

Not sure where to start? [Take my marketing quiz](https://www.ashleyidesign.com/marketing-quiz) and get personalized next steps.

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