Achieving Remarkable Things

In Athletics, this year has seen Sebastian Sawe break the Marathon Record in April and post the first official sub 2hr marathon in 1hr 59.30 and last month Josh Kerr broke the previous world mile record that had stood for 27 years held by Hicham El Guerrouj of 3:43.13.

Both incredible physical achievements but I was particularly struck by how Josh Kerr used psychological techniques.

He publicly announced Project 222 on 28th March this year that on July 18th in London he would run 3min 42 (222 seconds).

At the time, Kerr’s previous best was 3:45, he therefore had to find more than two seconds at a level where every fraction of a second matters and deliver it on that specific day!

3:42 became the organising principle for his preparation.  All of his training schedule, recovery, equipment and race strategy was focused on this day and achieving this time. Everyday, he wrote on a blank piece of paper in blue ink that on July 18th he ran 3min 42, and for his ice baths he would time them to be exactly 3min 42.

On 18 July 2026, at the London Stadium, he ran the mile in 3:42.66 and broke the record!

Can this be applied to business? I think so, for sure.

I have written previously about setting a BHAG and a Vision, having strategy value creation sessions to map out the plan and then aligning all activities around this and this is what Kerr did to perfection.

In addition to this and perhaps a more private psychological option to Kerrs technique is a tool I have used and recommended to others called a Zander letter where you effectively write a letter from the future.

The Zander Letter takes its name from husband and wife conductor Benjamin Zander and psychotherapist Rosamund Stone Zander where they shared the technique in their book

 “The Art of Possibility.”

Benjamin had complained to Rosamund that his conservatoire students were so preoccupied with grades, competition and criticism that they were afraid to take artistic risks. Rosamund suggested giving every student an A at the beginning of the course.

Benjamin then turned that suggestion into the classroom exercise where each student received an A in advance.  They then wrote a letter dated the following May which began, “Dear Mr Zander, I got my A because…” In this they also described the person they would have become by the end of the course.

Whilst this was first applied to music students, his process can be applied to most things.  You write a letter to yourself dated at some point in the future, perhaps twelve months , three or five years from now and importantly you write as though everything you plan to accomplish has already happened.

The choice of words are very important.  You do not write “I hope…”, “I am planning to…”, “I would like to…”

Instead, you describe what has happened, the choices you made, the difficulties you overcame and what you learned along the way, writing from the future, looking backwards.

I have used this exercise a number of times in my career and whilst I am yet to define something as SMART as Kerr it has certainly helped me.

Of course, on its own it is not enough, in the same way people talk about manifesting something, it will not happen without capability, preparation, discipline and hard work.

But by starting with the end in mind, it helps you build the systems to execute the small things so that the big things look after themselves. 

As Atomic Habits author James Clear says “ You do not rise to the level of your goals you fall to the level of your systems.”

By regularly reading your Zander letter, it allows you to challenge yourself with these questions -

Does this move me towards the future I have described?

Is this how the person in my letter would behave?

What would that future version of me do next?

What is the first decision that future requires of me now?