For years, it’s been drilled into our heads that when you set a goal, it needs to be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely).
While that looks great on paper – and it’s easy to remember – it doesn’t go far enough for those who want to achieve big things. Think about it for a minute. Do you want to be stuck with “attainable” and “realistic” goals when you dream about a 3-day workweek, frequent trips to exotic places around the world, and enough money to retire early? It seems clear that safe, smart goals may hold you back instead.
Consider what happens when you set an “attainable” goal of earning 10% more than you did last year.
You might work 10% more. You might spend 10% more on ads or product creation. You might even reach out to 10% more potential clients.
And you’ll likely earn about 10% more.
“Not bad!” you say. After all, that was your goal.
But did that 10% goal inspire you to work harder? Or did it create a subconscious ceiling on your earning potential that you’re unable to breakthrough?
Rather than focusing on attainable and realistic goals, savvy entrepreneurs know the key to incredible success lies in creating lofty goals that feel out of reach.
They don’t strive to earn 10% more than last year. They want 50% or even 100% more. They stretch themselves. They find new—and better—ways to do things, so they don’t need to work twice as hard, but they remain open to the possibility of doing so—at least in the short term—when it’s necessary.
Of course, you cannot simply declare crazy goals and expect the universe to hand them to you. And that’s exactly why putting aside those smart goals is so…smart. When you shun the attainable in favor of the “holy cow, how will I ever do THAT?” goal, you push beyond the walls you confine yourself to and reach for the stars instead.
Sure, you might not double your income, but you’re almost guaranteed to do better than a mere 10% increase. So push your boundaries. Set big, audacious goals. Even if you fail, you’ll be much further ahead than those smart goals would leave you.
YOUR TURN
In the comments below, tell me one ‘holy coly’ goal you achieved but didn’t think you could.
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