Most people just want to go from A to B.
A is where you are.
B is where you think you want to go — the thing you’re trying to build or change.
Most people just want to get form A to B.
The problem?
Most people pick a B they’re confident they can reach.
Usually because they’ve been there before.
So, without realizing it, they’re not creating something new —
they’re just recreating the past.
The Illusion of Safety
Choosing B often feels safe. Familiar. Sensible.
But that safety is an illusion.
It’s just the comfort of the known.
A version of the old playbook — maybe better executed, but still the same game.
When you go from A to B, you’re walking a path.
A series of daily choices designed to get there as efficiently as possible.
Going from A to B is just a series of choices to get from A to B efficiently.
That’s the very definition of settling — optimizing for what’s already been proven.
Recreating a level of performance and impact you already know is possible.
When the Old Path Stops Working
Sometimes, though, the status quo stops being enough.
You feel the gap — a quiet sense that something’s missing.
That was me, years ago.
The signal was there, but I wasn’t listening — or couldn’t hear it yet.
It took a series of events before I finally started paying attention.
This happens to many.
For some, that’s the moment they hear what Joseph Campbell called the call to adventure —
a faint pull toward something different. Something better.
That’s not the path anymore.
That’s the beginning of a quest.
When you leave the familiarity of the Path, you go on a Quest.
Path vs. Quest
On a path, the map already exists.
You follow it. You measure progress. You hit the goal.
Paths are great for project management — repeatable, known processes.
But for the big stuff — life, leadership, relationships, even startups —
there are no maps.
Only an aim.
And the courage to follow it.
Goals vs. Aims
When you’re on a path, you set goals.
They’re specific and measurable.
“Grow to $1M ARR in 9 months.”
When you’re on a quest, you start with an aim.
Aims aren’t destinations — they’re directions that feel true.
“Create a life I love doing powerful, meaningful work.”
If you reach that aim —
does it really matter whether your current company hit $1M ARR in 9 months?
It doesn’t.
Because on a quest, you either arrive… or you learn.
That’s what makes it a quest.
B′ — The Place Beyond the Map
If B is the best you can imagine right now,
B′ is better than you can imagine — yet.
When you go on a quest, you enter the unknown.
There are countless possibilities.
Sometimes, you create something new and reach B′.
Sometimes, you end up at B-sub — the place where things don’t work.
When things don’t work out, you get to B-sub. Many call it a Failure. I call it a Lesson
But that’s not failure.
It’s just a lesson.
Painful, expensive, or both — but always a lesson.
Because on a quest, there’s no such thing as failure.
Only learning.
How You Create B′
You start by clarifying your aim — not your goal.
That’s what I call creating from the future.
Ask yourself:
What have I always wanted, but believe is impossible?
What would I love to create—even if I don’t yet know how?
What feels deeply resonant? What gives me goosebumps?
That’s your starting point.
And because our Essence is usually in our blindspot —
we need allies. People who see what we can’t.
Discovering your essence is also a quest.
The Two Paths to B′
Once your aim is clear, you can pursue it in two ways:
1. Experimentation
Run many small experiments.
Try things. Learn quickly. Course-correct.
2. Optimizing for Serendipity
Follow curiosity. Embrace play.
Wander, wonder, and explore what draws you — even if you don’t have guarantees.
Trust your intuition. Try what’s fun.
That’s how you discover things you didn’t even know existed.
Everything meaningful in my life has come through serendipity.
Why I Do This Work
Most of my clients already know how to get to B.
They’ve built, scaled, exited.
They’ve followed the path. Mastered the playbook.
They don’t hire me to repeat the journey.
They hire me when the path stops speaking to them.
When “more of the same” feels hollow — no matter how impressive.
They don’t need a coach for B.
They’re ready for B′ — the version they can’t yet name, but feel in their bones.
That’s the work I live for.
The kind that doesn’t fit neatly in KPIs or decks.
The kind that asks not “What’s the goal?” but:
“Who are you becoming?”
It’s not just meaningful.
It’s alive.
And that aliveness — quiet, unshakable, real — is what changes everything.
A Final Question
The real question isn’t What’s next?
It’s:
Am I still walking a path —
or am I ready to go on a quest?
Because if you are…
That’s where B′ begins.
Reflection:
Are you building from a past you’ve already mastered— or creating from a future that hasn’t been written yet?
In the next piece, I’ll share how to clarify your aim—and how to create B′ through experimentation and engineered serendipity.
Until then, ask yourself:
What’s the aim hiding behind your next goal?
— Peter
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