Are Your Goals Big Enough? (and not in the way you might think)

Elevating Business Success Through Purpose-Driven Strategies

You want the jobs done, the goals hit and the objectives accomplished – but is it possible you might be thinking too small to get there? And it’s not a matter of taking a $1 million goal and making it $10 million or $100 million… Your goals might not be big enough in another way. 

I was talking with an entrepreneur friend of mine the other day – and we talked about higher ideals: purpose, mission, values. All great, but! As a founder, there are performance metrics to hit and financial goals to make… There are those for all of us, aren’t there?

Purpose is amazing, but you need to close that deal.

Vision is important, but where are the numbers? 

Reflecting on this idea myself, it seems that when our ambitions are more tethered to financial figures, KPIs and market share percentages than higher ideals – it leads to smaller thinking. Things like pushing harder. Working more. Eeking out another deal. We may hit the goals that way, but our perspective becomes myopic, limiting options, ideas and new growth opportunities available. 

Let’s be real here.

Sometimes we do need to push to hit certain business goals (and life goals) no doubt. But something interesting happens when we’re truly committed to larger ideals as the bigger goal. Not just paying lip service to them, but truly connected to, inspired by and committed to those higher ideals – in a way where the ideal is more important than the goal. It opens up our perspective to be able to achieve those business goals in a way that’s bigger, better and more effective. We transcend those metrics to work towards something that’s greater, enduring and ultimately more aligned with who we are and what we’re trying to do. 

The business world often shies away from discussing real human concerns in real ways. It’s seen as soft, perhaps even irrelevant. But the truth is, businesses are made up of people, and people are driven by emotions, connections, and a desire to belong. And presencing that purpose works; research shows it translates into a 175% lift in productivity and 7 month lift in retention.

What if you were truly more invested in the positive impact you’re making vs. profit margins? What if your purpose was present when your performance was lacking? What if you were more engaged with living true to your values than signing that next deal? 

Infusing these higher ideals, these infinite goals, into your company culture doesn’t weaken your strategy – it strengthens it. When team members, partners and customers sense your genuine commitment to higher ideals, they're more likely to engage in more meaningful ways. 

I don’t know, maybe I’m off the rails here, but what if we redefined what our most important goals are? For real. Instead of solely aiming for a tenfold increase in sales or doubling your market presence, set a goal to leave an indelible mark on the hearts of those you touch. And check in on ways to measure that as much as you’re checking the financials. What if you made it your mission to be remembered not just for the products you sold or the revenue you generated, but for the lives you enriched and the positive changes you created? 

I’m all for the stretch sales goals, the confident financial projections and the big commitments to business growth. It’s necessary.

But in the end, the next monetary milestone pales in comparison to those higher ideals.

So, whatever your goals are, are they big enough?

Key idea: Purpose should drive profits (not the other way around)

Takeaway: Make your purpose more important than specific goals