⚡ Get All Content for 20% Off ⚡

To Advance Your Business, Step Away From Your Business For the past 12 years, I've gone on a trip with the same group. This has led me to be better and more creative.

By John Brubaker

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Kevin Chapman | Entrepreneur.com

"The Advance," which is what we call an annual tradition of friends and colleagues who gather together for four days over Memorial Day weekend, recently marked its 12th anniversary. What initially began as a group of us simply attending the NCAA lacrosse championships over the years has evolved into a mastermind meeting dedicated to reconnection, reflection and renewal.

Many call this sort of gathering a "retreat." I object to that term because retreat implies you're moving backwards. We refer to it as an advance because each year major life decisions that propel us forward are made. Decisions such as whether to change careers, start a new business, run for office, fire an employee and get married have been shaped by feedback at the advance.

Related: 5 Reasons Why a Retreat Is Good for Your Business

Every entrepreneur needs to do the same thing on an annual basis. You owe it to yourself to step away periodically for one big reason: to advance your business. You need outside perspectives from high performers in a variety of professions to serve as a catalyst for growth, otherwise you fall into a rut.

Your busyness is the enemy of your business.

Think you're too busy to "spend" time away from the office? It's not spending or wasting time away from your business, it's actually investing time in your business. You are stepping away from the office to gain perspective by having a different set of eyes and ears serve as a sounding board. The entire purpose of the advance is to intentionally step away from the insanity that is the daily grind. It is about renewal.

It's too expensive?

You may be thinking that this is too expensive a luxury to engage in. I would argue that you literally can't afford not to do this. The real cost is in not taking time to advance. Can you really afford to stay in a rut or not get advice from trusted peers? When it comes to innovation in your business, if you're standing still and your competition isn't then you're essentially moving backwards (now that's some real retreating).

Just like investing your time, traveling to a destination for an advance should not be viewed as an expense. It's a financial investment in the vitality of both yourself and your company, because when you invest you get a return.

FOMO, or fear of missing out.

It's not just a term reserved for millennials and their fear of missing something on social media if they're not tethered to their phones 24-7. Many business leaders suffer from the same affliction. It just manifests itself in the form of emails, voicemails and memos. Shift your perspective and replace FOMO with VOMO (the value of missing out).

There is tremendous value in unplugging from technology and simply thinking or speaking with those who serve as your sounding board. It's where a lot of great ideas are born.

Ever have an idea strike you while you were jogging or taking a shower? That's the point. I'm guessing you weren't running with your MacBook strapped to your chest and you certainly didn't have your iPad, television or fax machine with you in the shower.

Related: How You Can Take a Vacation Without Your Business Falling Apart

The VOMO also does another big thing. It removes the everyday complications of life.

We create four days free of decision-making. Every detail has been prearranged: itinerary, meals, snacks, travel, lodging, entertainment and even wardrobe. Doing so allows us to focus our attention and decision-making power only on meaningful ideas and decisions.

How to get started:

"Inspirational things happen in inspirational places."

Location. Choose an attractive destination that fits your personality and meets your needs. We are all former college athletes and find high-performance environments motivating and stimulating to our creativity. So we travel to wherever the championship game is -- it's our built in entertainment.

Timing. Select a specific time of year that best fits your schedules. Late May/early June works perfectly for all of us as our busy seasons have wound down.

Commitment. For this to work, you need a firm, consistent commitment from your members. The only reason anyone has missed the advance is for a major life event such as a wedding, the birth of a child or a funeral. There is an emotional and financial investment that participants are eager to make because of the support and comradery.

To quote our facilitator, Carl Haas, "It works so well because it's a shared experience with like-minded people you enjoy spending time with."

All reservations for the following year are made before we adjourn from the current advance.

Scheduling. It can't be all business all the time, that would be self-defeating. Build in down-time for recreation and relaxation. For us, the games are played in the afternoon, which is our built in recreation and at the same time affords us the opportunity to meet in the mornings and continue our conversations in the evenings at dinner. You'd be amazed at the breakthroughs that can happen while breaking bread together over a meal.

Membership. If someone does not fit the culture of the advance, they are not invited to return. New members are accepted only by referral from a current member after being screened by the group. There are very clear expectations. Everyone contributes, everyone is on time, no one complains, and it's an environment of open honest communication.

Accountability. After the advance, you need to create a system to hold each other accountable to your respective goals. An advance can only accelerate your results if there is an action plan you are held accountable to afterwards.

I speak for each group member when I say that I probably get more accomplished the month after the advance than any other month of the year. The clarity, direction and synergy our time together provides serves as a catalyst for personal and professional growth. Invest in yourself and your trusted peers by creating your own version of the advance.

For more game changing strategies to turn your potential into performance, join my free weekly newsletter.

Related: Take a Break From Your Business

John Brubaker

Performance Consultant, Speaker & Award-Winning Author

John Brubaker is a nationally renowned performance consultant, speaker and award-winning author. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, Coach Bru helps organizations and individuals turn their potential into performance.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Remote Side Hustle a 43-Year-Old Musician Works on for 1 Hour a Day Earns Nearly $3,000 a Month: 'All From the Comfort of Home'

Sam Ziegler wanted to supplement his income as a professional drummer — then his tech skills and desire to help people came together.

Business News

Costco CFO Reveals Uncertain Fate of $1.50 Hot Dog and Soda Combo

CFO Richard Galanti reveals that the price will stay the same — but only "for a while."

Business News

The Most Unexpectedly Popular Side Hustle of the Decade Has Low Startup Costs and High Markups

A new report shows that vending machines are a popular investment — and the industry is set to grow up to $3 billion by 2031.

Marketing

Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals The Secret to Dominating Search Results

It's often the smart use of SEO, now supercharged with AI, particularly in keyword optimization.

Business News

AI Is Impacting Jobs. Here Are the Gigs Affected the Most, According to an Analysis of 5 Million Upwork Postings

The researcher said in the report that freelance jobs were analyzed first because that market will likely see AI's immediate impact.

Leadership

Former Interrogator Shares 5 Behaviors Liars Exhibit and How to Handle Them

Five deceptive behaviors to look for and how to respond to those behaviors when you encounter them.