Are Your Goals Big Enough to Change You?
I’ve been listening to a brilliant conversation between Dr Benjamin Hardy and Myron Golden on the topic of scaling businesses. It’s mind-bending stuff … I’m on my third listen.
They explore ideas from Benjamin’s new book The Science of Scaling, and his work helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses tenfold in just three years.
If you’re curious, you can watch or listen to it here, and download the audio version of the book for free here.
One idea in particular struck me:
The Impossible Goal.
People often come to Benjamin saying, “I want to grow from £2 million to £10 million over the next ten years.”
His response? “What would it take to get to £20 million in just three years?”
The goal isn’t really about numbers. It’s about how you think.
The mindset that got you to £2 million won’t get you to £20 million. That kind of leap demands a shift in how you think, who you’re being, what you believe, and how you act. It calls you to start thinking like a £20 million business owner now.
This landed hard for me.
I’ve often used goals as a way to measure success or failure.
Hit it … I move on, barely celebrate.
Miss it … I make it mean something about my worth.
Sometimes I’ve avoided setting goals altogether to dodge the risk of falling short.
But this idea feels different.
An impossible goal is meant to feel out of reach.
You’re not supposed to know how to achieve it, at least not at the start.
That’s what stretches you. It forces new thinking.
It demands growth.
It reminded me of something Karan Rai said at The Ultimate Experience in London:
“If you have a goal and you know how you’re going to achieve it … it’s not a goal. It’s just something on your to-do list.”
This kind of thinking has me reflecting on my own work.
What would it take to 10X my business in the next three years?
Who would I need to be?
What do I need to stop doing?
What do I need to start doing more of?
Where should I invest my time and energy?
Some of the things I’m doing now could support that kind of leap.
Others, while not harmful, simply aren’t aligned with that level of growth.
Then I heard this quote from Robert Breault:
“We are kept from our goal, not by obstacles, but by a clear path to a lesser goal.”
That one stopped me.
How many lesser goals am I still walking toward, just because the path feels comfortable?
What about you?
Do you set goals?
Do you avoid them?
Do they stretch your thinking — or weigh you down?
What would your impossible goal be?
And what might change if you started being and acting like the person who could achieve it?
If you want to explore this, call me. I may be able to help.
Much love,
Peter