Audi was in desperate need to win the 2006 edition of the 24 hours of Le Mans race. The
competition is not only one of the most prestigious car races in the world — its outcome
can make or break a carmaker’s reputation. However, Audi was in real trouble: its car
was not fast enough. Until one question changed everything. The
Audi team went from not having the fastest car to winning the 24-hours Le Mans race three
years in a row. If you were to design a race car, you’d
probably want to build the fastest one possible, right?
Interestingly enough, Audi took a different approach. One that brought to life the power
of accepting constraints. And turned them into a superpower, not a limitation.
Interesting questions trigger thought-provoking conversations — that’s what Audi did
by reframing its challenge. “How could we win Le Mans if our car could
go no faster than anyone else’s?” — Audi’s chief engineer asked.
The chief engineer’s question not only removed the excuse— not having the fastest car should
not stop them from winning. He also reframed the challenge into a more interesting one.
Rather than worrying about the speed of the car, Audi’s team had to discover other ways
to win the race. The 24 hours of Le Mans is one of the most
challenging races. Teams have to deal with physical and mental fatigue while balancing
demanding speeds with keeping their car running for a full day.
The design team came up with a simple yet powerful solution: a fuel-efficient car. Audi
turned conventional wisdom upside down by using a diesel engine for the first time.
By reducing the number of pit stops, the racing team saved significant time — they could
never make up that time by increasing engine power.
The engineering team approached Le Mans as an endurance competition —one closer to
a marathon than a sprint. This new perspective helped Audi win Le Mans
three years in a row.
Winning is not just about what you do during the race. Everything that you do leading to
that day matters. That mentality helped Audi turn its constraints into creative fuel.
Most people see their constraints as limiting. When their resources are scarce, they feel
limited. However, not being the ‘fastest car’ shouldn’t
prevent you from winning. Everyone has limitations. Winning is not about
having all the resources; it’s about outsmarting your competition.
Don’t let your constraints define you. That’s the purpose of this one question — turn
your constraints into a superpower. “How can you win if ‘your car’ is not
faster than everyone else’s?” Apply this mentality to solve both personal
and work challenges. How can you win if you are NOT…
… the smartest guy in the room? … the one with the strongest network?
… the most well-known expert? The point is: don’t get stuck in the “I
can’t win” mode just because of your constraints. When you focus on what you lack, you become
a victim. “Why is this happening to me?” — You
might ask yourself. You feel life is unfair and let one constraint define your future.
And, eventually, you give up. You can opt to fight back. However, this is
an endless battle. Being obsessed with defeating your constraints takes your focus away.
Instead of fighting your limitations, ask more interesting questions. Like Audi’s
chief engineer did. Take ownership — accept your limitations
rather than wasting your time fighting reality. Your purpose is not to defeat your constraints
but to achieve your goals. Ask yourself: “How can I win the race even if I’m not the fastest?”
Focus on turning a constraint into a superpower. Outsmart others by reframing how you will
win the race. Moving from being a victim to hero is not
easy. It requires self-awareness; to stop comparing to others and challenge what you
can do differently. When you can’t win within normal conditions,
rewrite the rules.
Focus on the opportunity, not on your limitations. When you try to get more of what you lack—
resources, support, budget, time, etc. — you get stuck in trying to solve the wrong problem.
Reframing the problem will help you uncover a more interesting one to solve.
Audi’s chief engineer turned a constraint (speed) into a superpower (energy efficiency).
He reframed the problem from “we are not faster than others” to “how can we win
without being the fastest.” Reframing the challenge is half of the solution.
When you stop thinking about your weaknesses, you stop comparing to others.
This question will help you reframe a constraint and turn it into a challenge: “How might
I achieve (a goal) even though I lack (a limitation)?” Reframe your challenge into a more interesting
one. Become the hero of your own narrative. Focus
your creativity on the right problem. Your goal is not to build the fastest car; your
goal is to win the race. Turn your limitations in your favor rather
than surrendering to them.