Don’t Paint the Goat Path

Don’t Paint the Goat Path

I noticed the phrase last year on Philip Goodwin’s whiteboard but didn’t have time to ask about it.
I noticed it again this year. Same phrase. Still up there.

So I finally asked: What’s the deal with “Don’t Paint the Goat Path”?

Philip explained it like this:

It’s a reminder for those of us working through tough problems, chasing growth, or leading change.

Driving through the Colorado backcountry, you’ll spot steep little trails zig-zagging up the mountains — goat paths. They’ve been used for years. They work… sort of. But they’re narrow, winding, and inefficient.

(Quick disclosure - Philip lives in Boulder and I lived close by for close to 20 years, thus the mountains reference.)

Sometimes, he said, we keep following those same goat paths in our work — doing things the way they’ve always been done. Maybe with a few tweaks here and there. A fresh coat of paint, sure. But underneath? Still the same trail.

If you're aiming to grow 10x or launch something entirely new, would you really want all that extra traffic going up the same old path?
Or would it make more sense to carve a proper road — or better yet, bore a tunnel through the mountain?

Then he added: Real progress often requires rethinking the entire route. So, take the time to step back… and find the goat paths in your business.

 

#Innovation #Management #Entrepreneurship #Productivity

As always, sharing personal reflections—opinions are my own, not my employer’s.

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