Three Horizons: Look Ahead While Taking Each Present Step Well

Originally published 2026-10-14Notes tagged 未來回推法, with Robin’s brief commentary

Storage information

Bookmarks and reading positions are stored in this browser. Manage and back them up in My Reading.

Collected in Robin Shen’s Field Notes · Content type and attribution are shown above

English translation of the Chinese post originally published 2026-10-14. Translated 2026-11-05 with AI assistance. Historical figures and claims have not been updated or independently verified. 中文原文

Reading guide

These notes tagged 未來回推法 describe leaders’ need to manage today while looking further ahead. Three horizons cover optimizing the core business, cultivating new growth opportunities, and working backward from a vision five to ten years ahead to today’s strategy. The central proposition is that the future is designed rather than predicted, and strategy reshapes the future rather than merely extending the present. Robin adds: begin with the end in mind, but take each present step well.

Key points

Optimize the core business while cultivating new opportunities.
Reconsider today’s choices from a long-term vision.
Robin: begin with the end in mind without neglecting each present step.

One clear path continues into the distance among several branching routes, suggesting choice and focus. — Entrepreneurship & strategyThematic illustration · AI generated

Full text — English translation

Leaders must manage the present while standing further ahead to see the future. Companies must continually optimize business, efficiency, and profits. Yet spending nearly all time and resources on immediate problems can mean managing today better and better without preparing for competition five or ten years ahead. Work on the future can be summarized as three horizons: First, protect and continually optimize today’s core business. Second, seek and cultivate new growth opportunities outside it. Third, look five to ten years ahead and work backward from that vision to today’s strategic choices. The future is not predicted; it is designed. Strategy does not extend the present; it reshapes the future. #未來回推法 ---- Robin: ‘Begin with the end in mind. Even while looking ahead, take each present step well.’

These articles are personal notes, book excerpts, and collected reprints. Figures and events reflect the time of the original publication, are not current information, and do not constitute investment advice.

DISCUSSION

Reader comments

What did this article make you think about? Different perspectives and constructive criticism are welcome.

Comments are public immediately. Do not include personal contact details or external links. Automated checks block suspicious solicitation, prohibited transactions and spam; they can make mistakes.

Comments load when you reach this section.

Administrator sign-in