What’s Your End Game?

In the game of business as in life it’s imperative that you have goals and I think that it’s fair to say that most people have at least a vague sense of what those goals are. But the problem is, it’s hard if not impossible to be laser focused on where you’re going if your goals are little more than a fuzzy idea or a wistful daydream.
Now, I know that many of our readers are business men and women who may be sitting there smugly thinking, “I know the answer to this one. My goal is to make X dollars this quarter with profit margin of at least X percent.”
Well… that’s not exactly what I’m getting at either. Sure, numbers are part of it, but if you’re designing a business and a life that is really going to work for you then your end goals are going to have to be more meaningful than just numbers. You’re going to have to start thinking about what you really value in life and work on designing how you’re going to get that.
Let me give you an example. My friend Karen has built a successful business and she always has a very good handle on her cash flow, balance sheets and all of that. But one of the core values that she held near and dear from the very inception of her business was that time was what she wanted most of all. She committed to only working in the office from the very beginning of her business, and she continues this practice to this day.
On the days she’s not in the office Karen may be networking, speaking, or otherwise advancing her business. But she may also be out with friends, swimming or at a charity function. Her business is thriving and she has designed this life for herself because she was very intentional about what she wanted.
So, in order for you to welcome the highest level of success (however you choose to measure it) into your own life and business, you’re going to have to figure out what is most important to you. If your dream is to live in Hawaii, then focus your attention on making that happen. If you aspire to have a huge sum of money in the bank then you’re going to have a different focus and you’ll be making different choices then someone else whose big desire is to go on a big international trip every year.
Whatever your core values and big dream is, make sure it resonates with you and then structure your activities so they all support you attaining that thing it is that you really want. When you step into fully being aligned with your purpose not only will you succeed better and faster, but you’ll also have far fewer regrets than the person who puts off what they really want until the ever-elusive “someday”.