About a month ago, I found myself in the middle of a really tough decision. It was an incredibly busy period, and I knew that saying yes to this one commitment would mean blocking not just one week, but three. Three weeks away from urgent projects, deadlines, and clients who needed me.
And yet—I did it. And I’m really glad I did.
In this video, I want to share four words that really changed the way I think, the way I focus, the way I manage my time and probably the way I live.
I work with leaders of medium to large companies, and one thing I see all the time is the constant tug-of-war between what’s urgent and what’s important.
Just this morning, I was on a call with the leader of a large business. She was describing how her team is bombarded with messages, endless meetings, and urgent requests—all the time. There’s barely a moment to pause, to clarify, to focus on what truly matters.
And I had to smile because, truth be told, I’m no different. My calendar is packed, I’m in the middle of a busy period, and while I’m grateful, it’s still overwhelming.
So when I was invited to the US for a conference and to spend time working with a publisher on a book I hope to release next year, I hesitated. On paper, it looked like the wrong move. The book won’t launch for over a year. The payoff is uncertain. And there are plenty of urgent tasks screaming for my attention today.
But then I came back to those four words: What impact long term?
Here’s the thing: choosing long-term impact is always a gamble.
Urgent requests are clear—you know they’re due tomorrow, and you know exactly what the outcome will be if you complete (or don’t complete) them. But long-term impact? That’s fuzzier. You take a chance. You bet that the project you commit to will matter.
For me, that gamble was taking one full week to invest in learning, collaborating, and writing. Was it easy to step away? Not at all. But I reminded myself: every quarter, I choose my “big rocks”—the projects I believe will create the greatest impact over time. And that choice comes down to those four words.
And sometimes, the answer is crystal clear. After my US trip I decided to add another two weeks to visit my family in France and see my son Cameron in the Netherlands. Absolutely long-term impact. Those moments will matter forever.
But with business decisions, it’s harder. You don’t always know if the gamble will pay off. Still, asking the question is what changes everything.
Since adopting this mindset, I’ve started using it as a filter—not just quarterly, but weekly and even daily. Protecting my time is still hard, and prioritising isn’t always perfect, but these four words have made a huge difference.
So, this isn’t a question I’m leaving you with today—it’s more of a mindset I want to share. My strongest suggestion is this:
Keep asking yourself, in everything you do – What impact long term?
Because the truth is, urgent things will always shout the loudest. But long-term impact whispers. And if you don’t stop to listen, you’ll miss it.
What’s one decision you could make this week that may not show results tomorrow, but could change everything a year—or five years—from now?
Have a lovely day.
A bientôt,
Cyril
