While in Boston, I visited Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. As part of this visit, I learned that Robert Kraft bought the land adjacent to the former stadium where the Patriots played before he owned the team. A few years later, he acquired the stadium during the previous owner’s bankruptcy but still did not own the franchise.
This evolution proved to be fruitful later when the Patriot’s then-owner wanted to move the team out of New England. Kraft refused to let them out of the stadium lease that he controlled, so the team was put up for sale — allowing Kraft to complete the purchase and realize his goal of becoming an NFL owner.
Acquiring land next to an aging stadium doesn’t seem like the most obvious path to buying a franchise, but it is a shrewd one. First land, then stadium, team, coach, and finally, quarterback — and the rest as they say is history.
The next time you have a daunting goal that seems far in the future, think about Robert Kraft and consider whether there is an adjacent step you can take to get started. Small bits of progress, even if not in a direct path, can still help you achieve a touchdown.
