Does It Make the Boat Go Faster? – Making Better Decisions
Years ago I worked as a Project Manager for National Grid who were updating their systems for the business. When I joined they were already a good year into the project and I was joining them for their network infrastructure to support the new IT systems.
All around the office there were different posters about what they were aiming for, and this article is inspired by one of them.
Ben Hunt-Davis, an Olympic rower used a powerful mantra, to question everything he did with his rowing team:-
“Will it make the boat go faster?”
This simple yet potent question became the guiding principle for his rowing team on their journey to gold at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. Every action, every decision, every sacrifice was filtered through this one lens: Will this help us win?
But this isn’t just about elite sports. It’s about alignment — and it applies just as powerfully to business owners, creatives, leaders, and anyone seeking purpose-driven progress. In the noise of daily demands, this question becomes your compass.
Why This Question Matters
As a business owner, you’re making hundreds of decisions every day. Most of them are small, seemingly inconsequential, others, pivotal. But when you don’t have a clear guiding principle, it’s easy to get swept up by urgency, comparison, or what everyone else is doing.
Your boat might be your business, your energy, your team, your health, or your life as a whole. But the only way it moves forward — in the direction you want — is if you steer intentionally.
Enter the question: Does it make the boat go faster?
When you pause and ask this — not just once, but habitually — you bring clarity and focus to what truly matters.
Build from Where You Are
There’s no need to have everything figured out before you begin applying this lens. You already have momentum, even if it doesn’t always feel that way. But to avoid drifting, you need an anchor.
So next time you face a choice — an opportunity, an offer, a task, a strategy — take a breath and ask:
- Does this reflect my values? (what is important to YOU, then your business and if they are not mutually beneficial, it may be time to upcycle them!)
- Will this move me closer to my mission or vision — personally and professionally?
- Does it align with the person I’m becoming, not just the role I’m in today?
When your decisions align with your purpose and your values, you start to eliminate confusion. You start saying “yes” and “no” with more confidence. You stop wasting energy on what doesn’t fit — and that’s what makes the boat go faster.
Why It Actually Makes Life Easier
Aligned decisions doesn’t always mean easier choices. But they do mean fewer regrets, more flow, and stronger momentum. As Mindset Coach Kim Searle puts it:
“When your decisions align with what matters, life and work become simpler — and life easier.”
This isn’t about hustling harder or moving faster just for the sake of it. It’s about moving with direction and purpose. You choose what fits. You commit with more clarity. You act with less resistance.
Final Thought
You don’t need to do everything. You just need to do the right things for you — the ones that move your boat. Faster. Smoother. With intention.
So as you navigate this week, remember the question.
Does it make the boat go faster?
And if not — what does?
Tip: A Simple Weekly Decision Filter
Try this as a practical tool in your week. Before you say “yes” (or “no”), pause and check in:
- Will this make my boat go faster?
- Is this choice taking me closer to my vision, values, or version of success?
- Am I choosing from alignment — or reacting from obligation?
- Will I still feel good about this a month from now? A year from now?
Small, consistent, aligned choices have a compounding effect. Over time, they build not just a successful business, but a fulfilling life — one that fits you, instead of trying to fit yourself into someone else’s version of success.
