Buried in Noise, Starving for Signal

We feel busy. All the time.

Calendar full, inboxes bursting, iPhones dinging with notifications.

Yet the feeling of real progress is absent. Sound familiar?

I know it’s a problem for me. Enter an awesome book I read this week, The Science of Scaling by Ben Hardy.

His framework of frame, floor, and focus is all about cutting through the noise to find clarity. One of the most powerful ideas he shares is the value of setting impossible goals which resonated deeply with me.

I’ve never struggled with intensity of effort. But I have always struggled to focus all my efforts in one direction towards a crystal clear vision. My resume tells the story (Pilot, Army, Bureau, Business) of a life with many pursuits. How do you know which direction to focus my energy? The challenge is separating signal (what matters) from noise (what doesn’t).

Why We Spin Our Wheels

Reasonable/linear goals sound smart, but they create problems:

• They invite dozens of possible paths forward.

• More paths mean more distractions.

• We confuse motion with momentum.

The result? Busyness without clarity. The noise overwhelms the signal.

The Impossible Goal Filter

Impossible goals flip the script. When you set a goal that feels audacious — even unattainable — the number of viable paths shrinks dramatically.

That’s the gift: impossible goals cut out noise. They force you to focus on the one or two pathways that could actually get you there.

As John Doerr famously said, "A goal properly set is halfway reached."

Impossible goals act as a filter: they reveal what matters by eliminating what doesn’t.

I wanted to share this idea as it’s been on my mind this week, but it also brings up the idea of planning, goal setting, business plans, etc in general.

I think they get a bad wrap.

Why Planning Still Matters

Some people dismiss plans entirely. In one sense, they’re right: no plan survives first contact with reality.

But here’s the overlooked truth: the power isn’t in the plan. It’s in the planning.

Every military operation begins with a deliberate planning process. Teams war-game scenarios, anticipate contingencies, and build flexible frameworks. The point isn’t to predict the future — but to build clarity, conviction, and adaptability through the process itself.

The exercise itself sharpened thinking, aligned the team, and revealed blind spots. Even when reality shifted (news flash- it will), the preparation made execution stronger.

The Bottom Line

• Don’t be afraid to set an impossible goal

• Learn to filter out the noise and sharpen your focus

• Use the process of planning (not the plan) to build clarity

Don’t settle. Be relentless.

— Hunter