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Lesson 7: Don't Lose Sight of the Long Game | Martin Gonzalez
Posted
March 4, 2026
March 4, 2026
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3:15Now PlayingMost people recall hearing, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” at some point in their childhood. But as a kid, you have yet to understand the incremental steps it would take to become, say, an astronaut or a zookeeper. Instead, you’re still focused on the short game of life: finishing homework on time or showing up to swim practice each day. The long game feels distant and abstract.
In business, it’s essential to get that balance right. According to Google DeepMind’s Org Development Lead Martin Gonzalez, success requires fluency in both games. In this video lesson, he shares advice for prioritizing both.
Teams need to win both the short game of meeting goals quickly and cheaply and the long game of building legacy. We tend to focus on pressing issues today and devalue cultural investments that will benefit us over time.
Systematically spend time on your long game. Block off time each week. Focus on your goals for:
The next 5 years
The next year
The next quarter
This will give you a view across multiple time horizons.
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About Martin Gonzalez:
Martin Gonzalez is the co-creator of Google’s Effective Founders Project and the co-author of The Bonfire Moment.
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